Which term refers to behavior controlled by a verbal rule, enabling indirect control by temporally remote or potentially significant consequences?

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Multiple Choice

Which term refers to behavior controlled by a verbal rule, enabling indirect control by temporally remote or potentially significant consequences?

Explanation:
Rule-governed behavior is behavior controlled by a verbal description of contingencies. When a person follows a rule, the action is guided by the stated outcome even if the actual consequences are delayed or uncertain. This allows the behavior to be influenced by consequences that are not immediate, because the rule itself links the response to those potential outcomes. It differs from contingency-shaped behavior, which is driven by the actual, immediate consequences in the environment. The other processes—imitating, maintaining, and shaping—do not involve behavior controlled by a verbal rule describing those contingencies.

Rule-governed behavior is behavior controlled by a verbal description of contingencies. When a person follows a rule, the action is guided by the stated outcome even if the actual consequences are delayed or uncertain. This allows the behavior to be influenced by consequences that are not immediate, because the rule itself links the response to those potential outcomes. It differs from contingency-shaped behavior, which is driven by the actual, immediate consequences in the environment. The other processes—imitating, maintaining, and shaping—do not involve behavior controlled by a verbal rule describing those contingencies.

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