A five-year-old watches his father dunk a basketball. Because the child is unable to reach the basket in the way his father can, the child cannot learn this behavior by observing because he cannot accomplish the step of

• A. attention.
• B. memory.
• C. imitation.
• D. motivation.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Identify the key components of observational learning, which include attention, retention (memory), imitation, and motivation.
2. Understand that for observational learning to occur, the observer must be able to physically replicate the behavior they are observing. This is known as the imitation step.
3. Consider the scenario: a five-year-old child watches his father dunk a basketball. The child pays attention to the action and can remember it, but due to physical limitations, he cannot imitate the dunk.
4. Recognize that the inability to perform the behavior (dunking the basketball) is due to the child's physical limitations, not a lack of attention, memory, or motivation.
5. Conclude that the step the child cannot accomplish is imitation, as he is unable to physically replicate the behavior he observed.