If I told you everyone picked that (non-affordant) tool, would you? Children attend to conventional language when imitating and transmitting tool use

Abstract

This study explored how conventional versus instrumental language influenced children’s imitation and transmission of non-affordant tool use. Rather than examining children’s imitation of unnecessary actions that do not impede goal completion, we examined children’s conformity with a modeled behavior that may result in sacrificing goal completion. Children (N = 96 4- to 6-year-olds) were presented with either a conventional or instrumental description of a model’s actions before watching the model choose a non-affordant tool. Children who heard conventional language imitated and transmitted the model’s non-affordant tool choice at significantly higher rates than when they heard instrumental language. The results have implications for children, parents, and teachers regarding the extent to which children will conform with what “we” are “supposed” to do.