Imitation (PDF)

Imitation: The Basics is an engaging introduction to the topic of imitation behavior in humans, providing a summary of existing scientific research on imitation, covering everything from examples of imitation across each developmental stage to animal imitation such as monkeys imitating each other.

The authors argue that imitation forms the foundation of long-lasting relationships, including those between children and parents, as well as intimate partners. Structured to resemble a human lifetime, chapters explore the reasons behind why people imitate, and address imitation across all phases of life, starting from infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood and ending with late adulthood. The authors describe characteristic forms of imitation that occur in these life stages and provide answers to the following important questions: Who do humans imitate? Who is more likely to imitate others? What kind of behaviors do humans imitate? Is there a dark side of imitation? When do humans imitate each other? And are there cultural differences in imitation?

Written in a clear and accessible style, this book is perfect for undergraduate students of social psychology, developmental psychology and neuroscience, as well as professionals, academics and any general readers interested in research about human social behavior.