Imitation is an important learning mechanism for children where they observe and replicate the behaviors of others. Imitation must occur immediately after the model behavior to be considered true imitation, whereas delayed responses are learned behaviors rather than imitation. Imitation training techniques use shaping and chaining with reinforcement to teach imitation skills to children who have difficulties imitating. Guidelines for imitation training include using brief sessions, reinforcing imitative responses, pairing reinforcers with praise, fading prompts gradually, and ending training once imitation occurs without prompts. The key difference between imitation and controlling responses is that imitation must exactly replicate the model's behavior.

1. The Use of Imitation in
Learning
aka: modeling, observational learning

2. Imitation (definition)
Any physical movement that serves as a novel model,
that is similar to model, and follows occurrence of model
immediately.
Imitative behavior is new behavior emitted following
novel event.

3. Immediacy
Why’s it important?
Imitation occurs immediately after a response.
A delayed behavior is not an imitation.
Delayed responses are a learned behavior, not an
imitated behavior.
A child may imitate to learn how to ride a bike. But, any
time after that he is not imitating the riding behavior, he
has learned how to ride.

4. Children Learn Through
Imitation
Most of children’s important physical development
milestones occur through modeling.
Children observe parents performing novel events
Children attempt to imitate parents actions
Successful completion earns them praise (positive
reinforcement)
Imitation now becomes differentially reinforced (parents
reinforce all actions that resemble event being imitated)

5. Shaping and Chaining Use
Imitation
Shaping and chaining are two methods that teach
children to perform novel task, using differential
reinforcement
Shaping-Producing a behavior through a series of successful
approximations that resemble behavior being taught
Chaining- Procedures that teach behavior chains
Shaping is used to teach smaller units that lead to a large
behavior chain. But how is imitation used?

6. Shaping, Chaining, & Imitation
cont…
Imitation is used to present novel model of behavior.
The big picture: Behavior chains are made up of different
classes of actions. Each class is shaped, which sometimes
uses imitation to model each small approximate unit until
it resembles terminal (final) behavior.

7. What if your child cannot
imitate?
Developmentally disabled children and infants cannot, or
do not, imitate.
What’s this mean?
Without an imitative repertoire, they have difficulty with
anything beyond basic skills.
When this happens we use IMITATION TRAINING

8. Imitation Training
In imitation training it is not important what behavior is
being modeled. Only important the person learns to
imitate the behavior of the modeler.
Taking the emphasize off of behavior we are attempting
to enable the children to generalize the behavior of
imitation.
(Generalize- what is learned or reinforced is applicable in all
settings, and across all behavior classes)

9. Imitation Training Guidelines
 Brief and Active Sessions
 10-15min sessions
 Multiple times daily
 Only a few seconds between trials
 Reinforce Imitative and Prompted Responses
 No matter whether it was a prompted or imitated
response, reinforce all instances of imitative behavior that
occurred 3 to 5s after model

10. Pair Tangible Reinforcer with Verbal Praise/Attention
When reinforcing imitative behaviors, pair the tangible
reinforcer presented with praise or attention
Children more likely to participate in training when followed
by preferred activity
Progress breaks down, back up and move ahead slowly
When progress breaks down, move to the last successful
step. When the last step is achieved move ahead slowly.
Break downs occur because of satiation, distractions, or to
complex task.

11. Fade Prompts and Physical Guidance
Throughout most of the training you will be using verbal
prompts, and possible physical guidance to assist in mastery
of a step.
Now is the time to fade those out.
Slowly remove the prompts/guidance.
Goal is for the child to imitate task on their own.
End Training
When imitation begins to occur without any prompts, it is
time to stop the training.
Hopefully, with successful training, children will imitate on
their own, and develop skills far beyond a basic level.

12. Imitative Behavior vs.
Controlling Response
Now is a good time to discuss the difference between an
imitative behavior and a controlling response
These behaviors are very similar and are often times
confused.
A controlling response is a behavior that is evoked that is
similar to the behavior of the model, but not the same.
An imitative behavior must follow immediately after and
be a complete replication of model’s behavior.

13. Imitation Reminders
It is not imitation if it does not follow the behavior of the
model.
If it occurs in the absence of the model it is not imitative
behavior, it is a learned response.
Imitative behavior accounts for how children learn to do
almost everything. If not properly modeled difficulties
may arise that could lead to difficulties developing an
appropriate imitative repertoire.

14. How children use imitation
When learning to speak children imitate sounds that
parents and caregivers make. Doing so allows them to
develop and expand their vocabulary.
Children learn to smile, clap their hands, and make silly
faces by observing the actions of their mothers and fathers.

15. In closing, take a look at the following video of possibly
the cutest baby ever and decide, imitation or not?
www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa5rNwtJB_Q

16. References
Berk, L., (2008). Infants, Children, and Adolescents. 6th
edition. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
Cooper, J.O., Heron, T.E., Heward, W.L., (2007).
Applied Behavior Analysis. 2nd
edition. Upper Saddle
River, NJ.: Pearson Education, Inc.