Goal-directed imitation in pre-school and elementary school children

Download

index.pdf

Date

2011

Author

Fallahzadeh, Pardis

Metadata

Show full item record

Item Usage Stats

155
views

88
downloads

Imitation is a fundamental way of acquiring knowledge in human development. In their theory of goal-directed imitation (GOADI), Wohlschläger et al. (2003) divide the representation of observed movements into hierarchically organized aspects the highest of which is usually the goal. In a face-to-face imitation task young children usually copy the (spatial) goal of the body movement in terms of perceptual mirror symmetry rather than match them conceptually onto their own body, as adults do. We refer to these imitation schemes as “mirroring” and “matching” respectively. In the present study, we investigate the effects of age and perspective of the child with respect to the experimenter (0°, 90°, 180°) in two imitation tasks, a hand-to-ear and a cup-grasping task. Moreover, we evaluate the developmental changes in the imitative behavior of children from a dynamical systems perspective. Children were supposed to imitate the movements of the experimenter. Tasks were conducted on 4.5- to 11-year-old Iranian pre-school and elementary school children (81 female, 84 male). Imitation scores for the spatial goal were analyzed in terms of mirroring or matching. Imitation schemes varied according to age and perspective in both tasks. Overall, older children’s imitations of movements were more adult-like as established by an adult Iranian control group than those of the younger ones. They rather matched than mirrored observed movements. In the 180° and 90° conditions the mirroring scheme was predominant, but in 0° matching was predominant. GOADI was confirmed; however it was qualified by the child's perspective on the experimenter. Children’s imitations showed a non-linear shift from perceptually-based mirroring to conceptually-based matching of observed movements onto their own body. This shift happens between 6 and 8-9 years of age. The amount of matching depends not only on age but also on control parameters such as spatial perspective, task demands, and exposure.

Subject Keywords

Imitation in children.

URI

http://etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12613884/index.pdf
https://hdl.handle.net/11511/20892

Collections

Graduate School of Informatics, Thesis

Suggestions

OpenMETU
Core

Imitation of basic hand preshapes by fluid based method: fluidics formation control Tilki, Umut; Erkmen, İsmet; Erkmen, Aydan Müşerref (2011-01-01) In this paper, a new approach is developed, avoiding the correspondence problem caused by the difference in embodiment between imitator and demonstrator in imitation learning. In our work, the imitator is a fluidic system of dynamics totally different than the imitatee, which is a human performing hand gestures. The fluidic system is composed of fluid particles, which are used for the discretization of the problem domain. In this work, we demonstrate the fluidics formation control so as to imitate by observ...
Rationalization of metaphorical exploration: Improving the creativity phase of Total Systems Intervention (TSI) on the basis of theory and practice Torlak, GN (2001-08-01) Metaphors play a significant role in the creativity phase of Total Systems Intervention (TSI). They help managers and other stakeholders to think creatively about their organizations and to highlight their organizational problems. However, in the current form of the creativity phase of TSI there are no explicit criteria in the selection of metaphors or in the disclosure and prioritization of organizational issues. This paper seeks to open a dialog with management consultants who might be interested in the c...
The sources and limits of authenticity in contemporary architecture Dingil, Seçkin; Güzer, Celal Abdi; Department of Architecture (2021-9-09) Regulated by economic and political ambitions, the pursuit of authenticity has evolved into a practice, which is oriented towards formal novelty. This practice is cultivated by the visual culture, emerged in consequence of the developments in information and communication technologies and the capitalist system of operations. Especially in popular and professional culture, the formal characteristics of the architectural work has become the most effective determinant of its authenticity claim, rather than the...
IMITATION OF HUMAN BODY POSES BY THE FORMATION CONTROL OF A FLUIDIC SWARM Tilki, Umut; Erkmen, İsmet; Erkmen, Aydan Müşerref (2012-07-04) Imitation learning is one of the forms of social learning that enables the human or robot agents to learn new skills. The knowledge acquired for imitation can be basically represented as action mapping based on "organ matching" which determines the correspondence between imitator and imitatee, if the imitator and the demonstrator share the same embodiment. In this paper; we aim at imitation of two system with totally different dynamics, imitating each other, where any correspondence is missing. Towards this...
Futurist thinking in urbanism: a retrospective & prospective view in the global context of transforming socio-economic structures Efeoğlu, Hulusi Eren; Çalışkan, Olgu; Urban Design in City and Regional Planning Department (2018) The idea of future has always emerged as a major concept for humanity. Each and every period of the civilizations, there has been always a motivation for people to manifest their ideal futures. In the context of urbanism, the intellectual capacity of utopian thinking has influenced most of the discussions on urbanism during the history. In this regard, destructive impacts of industrial revolutions have become the triggering forces to construct the ideal image of the future city. When the first industrial re...

Citation Formats

P. Fallahzadeh, “Goal-directed imitation in pre-school and elementary school children,” M.S. - Master of Science, Middle East Technical University, 2011.