What type of learning is primarily involved in developing echoic behavior?

The development of echoic behavior aligns closely with operant conditioning, where the focus is on the consequences of behavior to establish new patterns. In the case of echoics, this involves a speaker imitating a model's verbal behavior, typically following a verbal prompt or stimulus. When a child or learner successfully echoes sounds or words, and receives reinforcement—such as praise or attention—they are more likely to repeat that behavior in the future.

This process is grounded in the principle of reinforcement used in operant conditioning, where behaviors that are positively reinforced are strengthened over time. Thus, developing echoic behavior involves practicing and refining vocal imitation in response to stimuli, supported by reinforcement rather than observational learning, which emphasizes learning through watching and mimicking others without direct reinforcement of the behavior.