Spreading the game
An experimental study on the link between children's overimitation and their adoption, transmission, and modification of conventional information
Abstract
Overimitation is hypothesized to foster the spread of conventional information within populations. The current study tested this claim by assigning 5-year-old children (N = 64) to one of two study populations based on their overimitation (overimitators [OIs] vs. non-overimitators [non-OIs]). Children were presented with conventional information in the form of novel games lacking instrumental outcomes, and we observed children's adoption, transmission, and modification of this information across two study phases. Results reveal little variation across study populations in the number of game elements that were adopted and transmitted. However, OIs were more likely to use normative language than non-OIs when transmitting game information to their peers. Furthermore, non-OIs modified the games more frequently in the initial study phase, suggesting an inverse relationship between children's overimitation and their tendency to modify conventional information. These findings indicate subtle yet coherent links between children's overimitation and their tendency to transmit and modify conventional information.
Details
- Organisation(s)
-
Institute of Psychology
- External Organisation(s)
-
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVA)
Leipzig University
University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley)
German Primate Center - Leibniz Institute for Primate Research (DPZ)
University of Göttingen
- Type
- Article
- Journal
- Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
- Volume
- 213
- No. of pages
- 22
- ISSN
- 0022-0965
- Publication date
- 01.2022
- Publication status
- Published
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Electronic version(s)
-
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2021.105271 (Access:
Open
)