Imitation -Chap 18 Baer

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Imitation -Chap 18Baer DeGuchi, 1985Poulson,
Et al., 2002
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Definition of Imitation

• A model stimulus is presented in an effort to
  evoke the imitative behavior
• The imitative behavior follows immediately
• The model and behavior must have formal
  similarity
• The model must serve as a controlling variable
  for the imitative behavior (SD)

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Definition of Generalized Imitation

• Imitation no supported directly by environmental
  contingencies

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Generalized Imitations

• are maintained by reinforcing similar imitations
  and not maintained if this doesnt happen
• persist despite never being reinforced.
• Increase in accuracy when other similar
  imitations are reinforced.

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Important Because.

• Critical for the development of socialization
• Used as a teaching technique

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Types of Models

• Planned models
• Pre-arranged antecedent stimuli that help
  learners acquire new skills
• Shows the learner exactly what to do
• Unplanned models
• Occur in everyday social interactions

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Types of Models

• Actual
• In-vivo
• Symbolic
• Books or video

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Formal Similarity

• The model and the behavior physically resemble
  each other

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Immediacy

• The temporal relation between the model and the
  occurrence of the imitative behavior is very
  important
• Imitation may also occur at later times and in
  the context of everyday life situations
• However, when this occurs in the absence of a
  model, it is not imitation
• The discriminative features of the environment
  are different in this context (i.e., the model is
  not controlling the behavior)

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Controlled Relation

• The controlling relation between the model and
  the imitative behavior is paramount
• This is best evidenced when the model is novel
  and it still evokes an imitative response what
  is this called?

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Theories of Generalized Imitation

• Develop as a result of intermittent reinforcement
  schedules
• You always reinforce some imitations (
  ) and never reinforce others ( )
• What type of schedule is this?
• This schedule typically produces discrimination
  so does not seem to be a very plausible
  explanation.

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Theories of Generalized Imitation

• Conditional Discriminative Stimuli
• Modeling stimuli
• Instruction-Following Behavior as a Response
  Class
• Do what I do
• Neither of these can explain the initial
  generalization of responses without shaping and
  reinror0cement

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Imitation Response or Stimulus Class? BOTH

• Although initially a stimulus class restricted to
  topography (not the case later on)
• E.g., unlikely to get vocal imitation when
  teaching motor imitation
• significance
• Later on, it is a response class maintained by a
  conditioned reinforcer?
• do what I do

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Imitation Training

• Some children with disabilities require
  instruction in order to learn to imitate
• Objective to teach children to do what the
  model does
• Whats this called?

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Steps to Imitation Training(Striefel, 1974)

• Assess and teach any prerequisite skills for
  imitation training
• Select models for training
• Pretest
• Sequence models for training
• Perform imitation training

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Assessing/Teaching Prerequisite Skills

• Prerequisite skills needed
• ATTENDING!!!!
• staying seated, keeping hands in lap, looking at
  teacher when name is called, looking at objects
  when prompted by teacher
• Problem behaviors that may interfere with
  training may need to be decreased

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Selecting Models for Training

• Begin with selecting about 25
• Include gross and fine motor examples
• Movement of body parts
• Manipulation of physical objects
• Use only one at a time
• dont sequence them--save sequences for later

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Pretesting

• Purpose to determine if individual already
  imitates some models
• Procedures
• Get learner in ready position
• If object to be used, please it in front of
  individual
• Say do this (why not call their name?)
• Present the model
• How should models be presented?
• Immediately praise all responses with formal
  similarity to the model
• Record learners response as correct or incorrect

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Sequencing the Selected Models for Training

• Arrange from easiest to most difficult
• First models for training are ones the individual
  imitated correctly on some, but not all, pretest
  items
• Next, teach ones the learner approximated but did
  incorrectly on pretest
• Finally, teach items the learner did not perform
  or performed incorrectly on pretest

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Additional Considerations of Selected Models for
Training

• What else should you consider when selecting
  models for your teaching sets?

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Assessment of Trained Models

• Data collection
• Purpose evaluate learners current performance
  level and determine progress in learning to
  respond to model
• Brief pretest prior to each training session or
  weekly
• Make sure you have separate teaching and testing
  conditions
• Decide how many trials per model
• Considerations?
• Criterion?
• Remember data are collected in the absence of
  teaching conditions

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Generalization

• How have you programmed for imitative behavior?
• Assessment of generalized repertoire of
  imitative behavior
• Select 3-5 non-trained, novel models to check for
  occurrence of imitation
• Take data on novel items each time you take data
  on acquisition of trained models
• Remember data are collected in the absence of
  teaching procedures
• No reinforcement or prompting strategies.

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Performing Imitation Training

• Training
• Begin by teaching 1 of the 3 models in your set
• Start with the model most often responded to or
  responded to with closest similarity during
  pre-assessment or data collection
• Intersperse the target model with a mastered
  response
• How do you select the mastered response?

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Performing Imitation Training

• Training
• Response prompts
• Use manual guidance if necessary to prompt the
  response
• Verbal prompts spoken or written
• Stimulus prompts
• Highlight relevant stimulus dimensions
• Gradually fade prompts as quickly as possible
• Using what type of fading procedure?
• Continue until learner responds correctly once
  why not repeatedly?
• Either end session or introduce new model

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Guidelines for Imitation Training

• Keep training sessions active and short
• 10-15 minutes, a couple times a day
• Stay in session until learner shows progress
• Use a quick pace with short ITI
• Reinforce both prompted and imitative responses
  at first, eventually only reinforce independent
  responses
• What is this called???
• Pair verbal praise and attention with tangible
  reinforcers

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Guidelines for Imitation Training

• If progress breaks down, back up and move ahead
  slowly
• Prompts may have been faded too quickly
• Reinforcers may no longer be potent
• Attending may have decreased
• Keep a record
• Decide when to terminate imitation training
• When the learner has a generalized repertoire of
  imitation
• When the learner can imitate a sequence of
  behavior
• When the learner can imitate verbal items

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Considerations

• Imitation is the most efficient way to acquire
  new behavior
• Teaching imitation is quick and requires little
  effort from the teacher or student as opposed to
  shaping and chaining
• Model what you want your students to imitate
• Differentially reinforce imitation to decrease
  the probability of students imitating the wrong
  models
• I dont want my student around that child who
  screams!!!