What type of discriminative stimulus is the antecedent in the echoic contingency?

In the echoic contingency, the antecedent is an auditory discriminative stimulus. This type of verbal operant involves a situation where an individual hears a verbal prompt or sound and then is expected to repeat or 'echo' that sound. The auditory nature of the discriminative stimulus is critical, as it facilitates the immediate imitation of vocalizations. The individual must be able to process the auditory input and produce the corresponding verbal output, which is the defining characteristic of the echoic response.

Other types of stimuli, such as visual or tactile, do not apply in this context as they pertain to different forms of discrimination and responding. In essence, recognizing that the echoic operant centers around auditory stimuli helps clarify its specific therapeutic usages and the mechanisms through which learning and communication can be facilitated.