Gabriel Tarde's work is known by what name, describing the process of individuals imitating others?

Gabriel Tarde's work is known by what name, describing the process of individuals imitating others?

• A. The Laws of Imitation
• B. Differential Opportunity
• C. Somatotyping
• D. Social Bond Theory

Answer: (A)

Imitation as a social diffusion mechanism is the key idea. Gabriel Tarde argued that people learn and adopt behaviors by watching others, and this imitative process drives social change. The work titled The Laws of Imitation captures this focus, outlining regular patterns in how imitation spreads—from observing peers to adopting new ideas, fashions, or even crimes—across society. The other terms refer to different theories or classifications that don’t center on the spreading of behavior through imitation, so they don’t fit the question as well.

Imitation as a social diffusion mechanism is the key idea. Gabriel Tarde argued that people learn and adopt behaviors by watching others, and this imitative process drives social change. The work titled The Laws of Imitation captures this focus, outlining regular patterns in how imitation spreads—from observing peers to adopting new ideas, fashions, or even crimes—across society. The other terms refer to different theories or classifications that don’t center on the spreading of behavior through imitation, so they don’t fit the question as well.