Imitation is the act of copying or mimicking the behavior, actions, or characteristics of another person or object. It is a fundamental way through which individuals, especially children, learn new skills and social behaviors. For example, a child may imitate their parent's speech patterns or gestures, which helps them develop language and communication skills. In psychology, imitation is often studied in the context of social learning theory, which suggests that people learn by observing others. This concept is closely related to figures like Albert Bandura, who demonstrated the importance of observational learning through experiments, such as the famous Bobo doll experiment.