The effect of social engagement on 24‐month‐olds’ imitation from live and televised models

Abstract

To date, developmental research has rarely addressed the notion that imitation serves an interpersonal, socially based function. The present research thus examined the role of social engagement on 24-month-olds' imitation by manipulating the social availability of the model. In Experiment 1, the children were more likely to imitate the exact actions of a live socially responsive model compared to a videotaped model who could not provide socially contingent feedback. In Experiment 2, the children were more likely to imitate the exact actions of a model with whom they could communicate via a closed-circuit TV system than a videotaped model who could not provide interactive feedback. This research provides clear evidence that children's imitative behavior is affected by the social nature of the model. These findings are discussed in relation to theories on imitation and the video deficit.

Limitations to the cultural ratchet effect in young children

“…Furthermore, since faithful imitation is often related to the social context at the time of the demonstration and response (e.g., Nielsen & Blank, 2011;Nielsen, Simcock, & Jenkins, 2008;Over & Carpenter, 2009; see also work on conformity and audience effects, e.g., Haun & Tomasello, 2011), manipulating, for example, who is watching when could also be informative. It might also be interesting to manipulate the type of tool used in the demonstration.…”

The role of demonstrator familiarity and language cues on infant imitation from television

“…For example, increasing the number of demonstrations shown on the video facilitates imitation at young ages (Barr, Muentener, Garcia, Fujimoto & Chavez, 2007b). The potential role of social cues has been largely ignored within the context of learning from pre-recorded videos, with the exception of the finding that imitation performance is similar irrespective of whether the experimenter at the test is the same or different from the demonstrator on the video Nielsen, Simcock & Jenkins, 2008). In contrast, social cues have played an important role in research examining infants' learning from live video.…”

Putting the social into social learning: Explaining both selectivity and fidelity in children's copying behavior.

“…Children use imitation as a means by which to identify with those around them and to convey that identification to others. Thus imitation can help build rapport with other individuals (e.g., Nielsen et al, 2008) and with the group in general (e.g., Lakin et al, 2008;Over & Carpenter, 2009). …”

“…More recently, it has been defined in terms of attempts to be liked by a model and to communicate that "we are alike" (Carpenter, 2010;Nielsen et al, 2008;Nadel et al, 1999). Although there may be other social functions of imitation as well, each of these different descriptions, in essence, involve goals to identify 1 and affiliate with a model.…”

“…We argue that the failure of previous accounts to explain flexibility in children's copying behavior is the result of a tendency to disregard the deeply social nature of imitation. Drawing on developmental research on the social functions of imitation (e.g., Nielsen, Simcock, & Jenkins, 2008;Over & Carpenter, 2009;Užgiris, 1981Užgiris, , 1984, as well as the adult social psychology literature (e.g., Chartrand & Bargh, 1999;Deutsch & Gerard, 1955;Turner, 1991), we argue that imitation can only be understood by viewing it through a social lens. We propose that the fidelity with which a child copies an action can be explained through a combination of the child's own (learning and/or social) goals in the imitative situation, the child's identification with the model, and with the social group in general, and the social pressures experienced by the child within the imitative situation.…”