During an echoic response, what is a key characteristic of the speaker's behavior?

The key characteristic of an echoic response is that the individual imitates or repeats spoken words after hearing them. This behavior involves the speaker recognizing a verbal stimulus and producing a corresponding vocal response that closely matches the original spoken words. Echoics are a specific type of verbal operant where the listener's behavior is a direct replication of the auditory experience they have received. This imitation is crucial in learning language and communication skills, as it helps to reinforce the connection between sound and meaning.

In contrast, the other options involve different forms of verbal behavior: producing words without a prompted stimulus refers to spontaneous speech, requesting something verbally aligns with mands, and answering questions without prompts indicates a type of responsive behavior that is not limited to imitation. Echoic behavior specifically revolves around the act of repetition following an auditory cue.