Automatic imitation of multiple agents: A computational model

Abstract

There is accumulating evidence that the actions of others are represented in the motor system, leading to automatic imitation. However, whereas early work focused mainly on the effects of observing a single agent, recent studies indicate that the actions of multiple agents can be represented simultaneously. Yet, theorizing has lagged behind. The current study extends the dual-route model of automatic imitation to include multiple agents, and demonstrates, in five simulation studies, that the extended model is able to capture four critical multi-agent effects. Importantly, however, it was necessary to augment the model with a control mechanism regulating response inhibition based on the number of observed actions. Furthermore, additional simulation indicated that this mechanism could be driven by response conflict. Together, our results demonstrate how theories of automatic imitation can be extended from single- to multi-agent settings. As such, they constitute an important step towards a mechanistic understanding of social interaction beyond the dyad.