imitation, memory and the representation of persons

Imitation, Memory, and the Representation of Persons

Overview

• Study conducted by Andrew N. Meltzoff and M. Keith Moore at the University of Washington.

• Focus on imitation in 6-week-old infants.

• Examined immediate imitation and imitation after a 24-hour retention interval.

Key Findings

• Immediate Imitation: Infants demonstrated immediate imitation replicating past research findings.

• Imitation from Memory: New finding shows that infants can imitate from memory, indicating recall memory capabilities.

• Infants modified behavior towards more accurate matches across successive trials, suggesting a process of learning through imitation.

• Early imitation may serve a social identity function, clarifying person recognition across time.

Implications of Findings

• Social Interaction: Imitation functions as a means of communication before language development.

• Motor Organization:

  • Infants engage motor control and visual perception in matching their actions to observed behaviors.

  • Demonstrates the complexity of cognitive processes involved in imitation, tapping into perception, memory, and action.

Mechanisms of Imitation

• Imitation connects perception and action, merging visual and proprioceptive inputs.

• Active Intermodal Mapping (AIM) hypothesis posited: infants use cross-modal equivalence to match visual actions with felt movements.

• Innate Releasing Mechanism (IRM) hypothesis proposed by some research suggests a less active matching process without cognitive efforts.

Considerations for Future Research

• Further exploration needed on the precise psychological mechanisms behind early imitation.

• Investigations into distinctions between facial imitation and other forms of imitation in infancy.

Importance of Study

Learning and Development

• Imitation is pivotal in motor skill acquisition, modeling social behaviors, and the foundation of communication skills.

• Understanding the cognitive underpinnings can inform developmental psychology and theories surrounding early childhood learning.

Broader Cognitive Theories

• Findings underscore the significance of memory in early cognitive development.

• Suggests that cognitive skills concerning social awareness and person recognition are present much earlier than traditionally thought (e.g., 6 weeks versus 18 months).

Methodology of the Research

• Subjects: 40 normal 6-week-old infants assessed for their ability to imitate facial gestures.

• Experiment structure:

  • Infants assigned to one of four groups with different facial gesture demonstrations over three consecutive days.

  • Immediate trials followed by memory trials after 24-hour delays, assessing the infants' responses under these conditions.

Apparatus and Environmental Setup

• The testing took place in a controlled visual environment to minimize distractions, ensuring consistent exposure to the experimental stimuli.

Behavioral Coding

• Close-up video analysis utilized to assess infant behaviors, focusing on mouth openings and tongue protrusions.

• High interobserver agreement in coding reinforced the validity of observed behaviors.

Results and Discussion

Infant Responses

• Enhanced tongue protrusion and mouth opening were significantly higher in groups shown corresponding gestures versus control groups.

• Deferred Imitation: Implies that infants retain some memory of gestures, leading to spontaneous recall a day later.

Unique Contributions of this Study

• Redefines previously accepted notions surrounding the age of onset for deferred imitation.

• Provides insights into how social identity and interactional experiences shape cognitive and behavioral development from infancy.