Explain why a behavior occurring due to controls of a discriminate operant is similar to, or not similar to, a behavior occurring due to modeling and imitation. Provide examples to help clarify your answer

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

If a person does the same action as a model, and the behavior comes into contact with reinforcement, then the behavior becomes a discriminated operant. If the person then displays this behavior in the presence of another model, it is not considered imitation, but a discriminated operant. If a model is displayed that is novel (meaning the individual has never observed this behavior before and has no history of reinforcement with that behavior), and a person then displays the same behavior, we can say imitation has occurred. The text describes at least two examples that illustrate this. First, if a guitarist hears a novel section of improvised music and then immediately reproduces it, imitation has occurred. However, if one guitarist says to another, "Listen to this. I want to teach you this." The first guitarist demonstrates the new section of music. They practice until the second guitarist learns it. On stage the first guitarist plays the section of new music, and the second guitarist immediately follows by reproducing the same music, imitation has not occurred. Rather the second guitarist's reproduction is the result of a discriminated operant