Response uncertainty and imitation: The interactive effects of age and task options

Abstract

It was reasoned that younger children would be more susceptible to situational uncertainty and thereby imitate more than older children or peers of the same age tested under more structured conditions. Children 6- through 8- and 12- through 14-years-old observed a model toss a bean bag at a target and were tested for target relevant and incidental imitation under conditions of two task options (high structure) or 10 task options (low structure). On both measures of imitation, preadolescents in the low structure condition imitated significantly more than adolescents. Preadolescents also imitated more incidental behavior in the low than in the high structure condition. Additionally, it was found that personality variables predicted imitative behavior of younger subjects in the low structure condition only.