Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 15, 2026

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Understanding and Treatment Strategies with the NEC-on-a-Chip Model
Published on: July 28, 2023
There is no compelling evidence that human neonates imitate
Siobhan Kennedy-Costantini1, Janine Oostenbroek2, Thomas Suddendorf3
1Faculty of Science,University of Auckland,AKL 1010,New Zealand.s.kennedycostantini@gmail.comhttps://skennedycostantini.com.
Abstract:
Keven & Akins (K&A) propose that neonatal "imitation" is a function of newborns' spontaneous oral stereotypies and should be viewed within the context of normal aerodigestive development. Their proposal is in line with the result of our recent large longitudinal study that found no compelling evidence for neonatal imitation. Together, these works prompt reconsideration of the developmental origin of genuine imitation.
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