Model expertise does not influence automatic imitation

Abstract

Social learning theories state that new skills can be learned by observing others. Automatic imitation is thought to play an important role in this process. However, whether imitation is beneficial to learning critically depends on the expertise of the imitated person. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of model expertise on automatic imitation, by comparing automatic imitation of an expert and non-expert model in two within-subject experiments. In a first experiment (N = 61), we manipulated the perception of expertise in one task and tested how this influenced automatic imitation in a separate task. However, in contrast to our hypothesis, and in spite of a successful manipulation check, we did not find evidence for an effect of model expertise on imitative behavior. To exclude the alternative explanation that this was due to a lack of transfer of expertise attribution, we then conducted a second, preregistered experiment (N = 125), in which we manipulated model expertise using the same task also used to measure automatic imitation. However, in line with the results of Experiment 1, we found no evidence for an effect of model expertise on imitative behavior.These results put important constraints on the role of automatic imitation in motor learning.

The Influence of Similarity on Automatic Imitation in School-Aged Children

“…Similar to our results, previous research on the influence of perceived similarity on automatic imitation is inconclusive. While Genschow et al (2021) found increased differences between congruent and incongruent trials when participants focused on the similarities instead of the differences between their own and another persons hand, other studies found that group membership, model expertise, perceived similarity, and feelings of affiliation did not modulate automatic imitation (Genschow et al, 2022;Nevejans & Cracco, 2022). This is, to our knowledge, the first study investigating the effect of perceived similarity on automatic imitation in children.…”

Top-Down Modulation of Motor Priming by Belief About Animacy

“…The same point can also be made for the broader literature on social modulation of automatic imitation. Indeed, although it has often been theorized (e.g., Stel et al, 2016; Wang & Hamilton, 2012), evidence for social modulation so far has been inconsistent (e.g., Carr et al, 2021; Cracco & Brass, 2019; Cracco et al, 2022; Cracco, Genschow, et al, 2018; Farmer et al, 2016; Genschow et al, 2022; Nevejans & Cracco, 2022; Ramsey, 2018; Souter et al, 2021; Wang et al, 2011). Based on our results, a possible reason for this pattern could be that the manipulations used in the literature differ in the extent to which they influence self-other similarity and that these differences explain part of the variability.…”