Imitation in Infancy: Rational or Motor Resonance?

Markus Paulus · Sabine Hunnius · Marlies E. Vissers · Harold Bekkering A

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Action Observation and Synchronization Child and Animal Learning Development Social Robot Interaction and HRI

Abstract

The present study investigates the contribution of 2 mechanisms to imitation in infancy. The principle of rational action suggests that infants normatively evaluate the efficiency of observed actions. In contrast, it has been proposed that motor resonance (i.e., the mapping of others' actions onto one's own motor repertoire) plays a central role in imitation. This study tested 14-month-old infants (n = 95) in 5 conditions and manipulated the extent to which the observed actions could be matched onto the infants' own motor repertoire as well as whether the observed behavior appeared to be efficient. The results suggest that motor resonance plays a more central role in imitation in infancy than does a rational evaluation of the observed action.

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References

2004THE MIRROR-NEURON SYSTEM 2005Understanding and sharing intentions: The origins of cultural cognition 1999The chameleon effect: The perception–behavior link and social interaction.1994A Dynamic Systems Approach to the Development of Cognition and Action 1996A dynamic systems approach to the development of cognition and action 1999Cortical Mechanisms of Human Imitation 1994Making it explicit : reasoning, representing, and discursive commitment 1993Understanding the Representational Mind

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