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Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
Peer Imitation by Toddlers in Laboratory, Home, and Day-Care Contexts: Implications for Social Learning and Memory
Elizabeth Hanna1, Andrew N Meltzoff1
1Department of Psychology, University of Washington.
Abstract:
Three experiments examined peer imitation with 14- to 18-month-old infants. In Experiment 1, infants saw a trained 14-month-old ("expert peer") perform specific actions on 5 objects. Imitation from memory was tested after a 5-min delay. In Experiment 2, the infants observed an expert peer in the laboratory, and retention and imitation were tested in the home (change of context) after a 2-day delay. In Experiment 3, a peer demonstrated target acts at a day care, and after a 2-day delay infants were tested in their homes. Results from all 3 experiments showed significant imitation compared with controls. The experiments demonstrate social learning from peers during infancy and also provide the first evidence for infant imitation from memory across a change in context.
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