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Updated: Feb 23, 2026
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Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
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Mimicry and automatic imitation are not correlated
Oliver Genschow1, Sofie van Den Bossche2, Emiel Cracco3
1Social Cognition Center Cologne, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Plos One
|September 7, 2017
Summary
This study found no correlation between mimicry and automatic imitation, two ways people imitate others. Personality traits like empathy and autism traits also did not predict these imitation behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Individuals exhibit a natural tendency to imitate one another.
- Mimicry and automatic imitation are distinct psychological phenomena studied by different disciplines.
- Social psychology examines mimicry through action observation, while cognitive psychology uses reaction time measures for automatic imitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential correlation between mimicry and automatic imitation.
- To explore the relationship between personality traits (empathy, autism traits, self/other-focus) and these imitation behaviors.
Main Methods:
- Assessed mimicry using action observation paradigms.
- Measured automatic imitation via trial-by-trial reaction time tasks.
- Correlated imitation measures with scores on personality trait assessments.
Main Results:
- No significant correlation was found between mimicry and automatic imitation.
- Empathy, autism traits, and self/other-focus traits did not correlate with either mimicry or automatic imitation.
- The findings challenge the assumption of shared underlying mechanisms for these imitation forms.
Conclusions:
- Mimicry and automatic imitation appear to be distinct phenomena.
- Personality traits do not seem to be significant predictors of these specific imitation behaviors.
- Further research is needed to understand the nuanced mechanisms of human imitation.
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