Neonatal imitation in a mother–infant setting

Abstract

Imitation of tongue protrusions and mouth openings was investigated in 18 newborn infants using a procedure differing in three ways from previous laboratory studies: the mother presented the target gestures, she was permitted to adjust to the infant's reactions, and the infant's baseline response rate was assessed during face-to-face interaction. This procedure was assumed to facilitate infant imitation. Compared with baseline responses in face-to-face interaction, both tongue protrusions and mouth openings were imitated in the two conditions. No imitation, however, was found when the responses in the two imitation conditions were compared. These results are less convincing than those found in strictly controlled laboratory experiments. A less restrictive procedure did not, therefore, promote imitation. The mixed results could be explained by too short an exposure to the target gesture. If repeated and insistent gesturing is a crucial condition, neonatal imitation might be understood to be the result of instruction and teaching, rather than a means of mutual communication. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.