The statement 'When the topography of a previous imitation occurs in the absence of the model it is not imitative behavior' is true.

• A. True
• B. False
• C. Not enough information
• D. Sometimes

Answer: (A)

Imitation is the replication of a model’s topography in response to having observed the model, typically with the model present. When that same topography occurs without the model being present, there’s no current modeled antecedent to imitate, so the behavior isn’t labeled imitative. It may be a previously learned response or a generalization from prior modeling, but it isn’t imitation in the strict sense because imitation hinges on responding to the modeled example at the time of the response. For example, after watching someone clap, a person might later clap on their own without anyone watching; that later act resembles the modeled behavior but isn’t imitation now, since the model isn’t present to imitate. Therefore, the statement is true.