Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 16, 2025
06:35
Examining Recall Memory in Infancy and Early Childhood Using the Elicited Imitation Paradigm
Published on: April 28, 2016
33.8K
Anticipated Imitation Is Not Affected by the Number of Imitators
Bence Neszmélyi1, Roland Pfister2,3
1Department of Psychology 3, University of Würzburg, Germany.
Experimental Psychology
|April 1, 2025
Summary
Anticipating imitation primes action plans. However, being imitated by multiple agents did not further boost this effect, suggesting sparse action representations.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Motor Control
Background:
- Anticipating imitation primes action plans in cognitive models.
- Previous research indicated motor priming from perceiving multiple agents' movements.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if being imitated by multiple coactors enhances anticipated imitation.
- To compare anticipated imitation by a single agent versus joint imitation by two agents.
Main Methods:
- Participants' action plans were assessed based on anticipated imitation.
- The study compared conditions of single-agent and two-agent joint imitation.
Main Results:
- Anticipated imitation effects were similar whether imitated by one agent or two.
- The number of imitating agents did not significantly alter the priming effect.
Conclusions:
- Anticipated imitation relies on sparse representations, focusing on selected features.
- It does not appear to involve a full representation of all movement consequences.
Related Concept Videos
01:13Nonconscious Mimicry
4.5K
Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.
4.5K
01:22Imprinting
9.6K
Behavioral imprinting is observed in some newborn animals and occurs when they develop strong and specific attachments to another animal (usually a parent) following brief, early-life exposures. Offspring imprint onto parents within a brief period after birth or hatching; this time window is called the critical period. Once imprinting occurs, the bond established between the parents and their offspring is usually long-lasting.
9.6K
00:52Social Proof
27.3K
Social proof is a form of persuasion based on comparison and conformity. People compare their behavior and actions to what others are doing and will change to conform to do what their peers do.
27.3K
01:20Conformity
44.8K
Conformity is the change in a person’s behavior to go along with the group, even if that person does not agree with the group.
44.8K
01:12Observational Learning
106
Albert Bandura's observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when a person observes and imitates another's behavior. It is a quicker process than operant conditioning. A well-known example is the Bobo doll study, where children who saw an adult acting aggressively towards the doll were more likely to act aggressively when left alone, compared to those who observed a nonaggressive adult. Many psychologists view observational learning as a form of latent learning...
106
02:30Naturalistic Observations
15.3K
If you want to understand how behavior occurs, one of the best ways to gain information is to simply observe the behavior in its natural context. However, people might change their behavior in unexpected ways if they know they are being observed. How do researchers obtain accurate information when people tend to hide their natural behavior? As an example, imagine that your professor asks everyone in your class to raise their hand if they always wash their hands after using the restroom. Chances...
15.3K