Which term refers to the imitation of sounds as part of verbal development?

The term that refers to the imitation of sounds as part of verbal development is "echoic." In the context of verbal behavior, an echoic involves a person repeating or imitating the verbal behavior of another. This type of verbal operant is critical for language acquisition, as it helps in the development of speech and communication skills. For example, when a child hears a parent say "ball" and then repeats the word, they are engaging in an echoic response, which reinforces their ability to produce sounds and articulate words.

Mands, tacts, and intraverbals represent other forms of verbal behavior, but they do not specifically focus on the imitation of sounds. Mands involve requests, tacts are labels or comments about the environment, and intraverbals involve conversation or responses that do not involve exact imitation but rather relate to prior verbal interactions. Understanding these distinctions is important for recognizing how different aspects of verbal operants contribute to language development.