PEER IMITATION BY TODDLERS IN LABORATORY, HOME, AND DAY-CARE CONTEXTS - IMPLICATIONS FOR SOCIAL-LEARNING AND MEMORY

Three experiments examined peer imitation with 14- to 18-month-old infants. In Experiment 1, infants saw a trained 14-month-old (''expert peer'') perform specific actions on 5 objects. Imitation from memory was tested after a 5-min delay. In Experiment 2, the infants observed an expert peer in the laboratory, and retention and imitation were tested in the home (change of context) after a 2-day delay. In Experiment 3, a peer demonstrated target acts at a day care, and after a 2-day delay infants were tested in their homes. Results from all 3 experiments showed significant imitation compared with controls. The experiments demonstrate social learning from peers during infancy and also provide the first evidence for infant imitation from memory across a change in context.