Imitative Behavior Research Articles

“In your face!” Do family communication patterns influence U.S. tween’s imitation of disrespectful talk and behavior found in their favorite television shows?

“In your face!” Do family communication patterns influence U.S. tween’s imitation of disrespectful talk and behavior found in their favorite television shows?

Effects of risk information on pedestrian evacuation during fire emergencies: Virtual experiments and survey

In fire emergencies, pedestrians often face uncertainty about the safety of evacuation routes due to a lack of risk information, which makes the emergency evacuation highly challenging. Although risk information is crucial for effective evacuation, the effect of varying levels of risk information on fire evacuation remains insufficiently explored. This study aims to address this gap by investigating the influence of different levels of risk information on pedestrian evacuation through virtual experiments and survey. We conducted a series of multiplayer fire evacuation experiments in Minecraft. The risk information provided to pedestrians before evacuation was controlled at three levels: no risk information, partial risk information, and complete risk information, by giving different risk information cues. The results of experiments indicated that risk information can improve pedestrian evacuation efficiency during fire emergencies, while more complete risk information can further improve pedestrian evacuation efficiency. Additionally, an information transfer phenomenon was observed during fire evacuations, in which pedestrians adjusted their behaviour based on perceived fire, leading others to avoid the fire in advance. The analysis of pedestrian behaviour revealed that pedestrians did not exhibit imitative behaviour in evacuation direction choices during fire emergencies. Pedestrian route choices were significantly influenced by the initial distance of pedestrians relative to the exits. Moreover, complete risk information cues did not significantly influence pedestrians’ route choices compared with partial risk information cues. A post-experimental survey was conducted to assess pedestrians’ route choice preferences under different risk information cue scenarios. The results showed that pedestrians preferred the nearest route.

The Relationship Between Social Media Access and Student Achievement Motivation

The development of the globalization era has caused many changes, one of which is the increasingly sophisticated technology. Social media is a phenomenon as a result of technological advancement. It can be accessed by all groups, including teenagers. The growing level of social media use among teenagers can affect various aspects of their lives, including academic and non-academic achievement motivation. This study aims to find out the relationship between social media access and student achievement motivation. This study uses a quantitative method in the form of a survey. Data was obtained through questionnaires and interviews. The data analysis technique uses Kendall’s correlation. The results of the study show a positive relationship between social media access and student achievement motivation. The p value or significance of 0.002 indicates that there is a substance relationship between the two variables because the p-value is 0.002 <α 0.05 at a significance level of 99% (0.01). Social media is a factor that influences motivation for student achievement. This can happen because of imitation behavior towards positive content on the accounts they follow regarding achievements. Social media helps students to get learning materials and makes it easier to get information about competitions.

Cultural Analysis of Female Cross-Gender Expression in Social Networks: A Case Study of Image Presentation in Douyin Short Videosv

With the continuous development of the internet and the growing awareness of women's social consciousness, the forms of self-expression by women on digital platforms have become increasingly diverse. Among these, female cross-gender performance has emerged as a key strategy of self-presentation in social networks. This paper analyzes two distinct expression strategies on the Douyin short video platform to explore and critically reflect on current female cross-gender expressions. The explicit expression strategy employs makeup, cross-dressing, and role-playing to simulate male personas, challenging traditional gender stereotypes. The implicit expression strategy, on the other hand, mocks male “ bad habits ” through the imitation of male behaviors and the use of symbolic metaphors, carrying a satirical undertone. However, these strategies have their limitations: male images are often idealized and trivialized, reinforcing gender norms; and constrained by patriarchal frameworks, they fail to genuinely subvert gender roles and the gender binary. As a result, while female cross-gender expression challenges gender stereotypes, it also faces risks of being disciplined and misinterpreted.

Diffusion of ERP in the Construction Industry: An ERP Modules Approach: Case Study of Developing Countries

The risk–benefit analysis of ERP implementation is worth investigating to optimize the efficiency of ERP deployment in the construction sector. This study investigates the factors affecting the dissipation of ERP through diffusion models in developing countries. Moreover, it suggests a strategy to adopt ERP modules that optimize process integration and project efficiency through the priority factors method. According to the study, the internal model best describes the studied modules, and it suggests that imitative behavior and word of mouth significantly influence ERP adoption in the Africa and Middle East regions. This research concludes with an optimized order for deploying ERP modules based on the importance, urgency, and ease of implementation of each module. It is as follows: work progress (500), budgeting (405), procurement (343), site operations (280), planning and scheduling (270), accounting (252), inventory management (126), document control (90), and tendering (6). Therefore, it can be concluded that this study fills the research gap of ERP module adoption using diffusion models and priority factors within the construction industry, specifically in the specified regions. However, considering dynamic influence factors might provide more precise predictions, while involving a greater number of companies’ owners might highlight a greater importance of external factors.

The efficacy of picture vs. word danger cues in reducing imitation of dangerous actions in children.

Children are naturally curious and often have limited self-control, leading them to imitate both safe and dangerous actions. This study aimed to investigate whether dangerous cues could effectively inhibit children's imitation of hazardous behaviors and to compare the effectiveness of picture cues versus word cues in reducing this imitation. Seventy-six children were divided into two groups: one group received picture cues, and the other received word cues. Both groups observed an agent grasping an object and were instructed to perform a corresponding keystroke response when a number appeared. A comparable group of adults was also included for reference. The results demonstrated that picture cues were significantly more effective than word cues in reducing the children's tendency to imitate dangerous actions. These findings suggest that picture cues are a more effective method for preventing imitation of risky behaviors in children, which has important implications for improving safety education and accident prevention strategies through the use of visual danger cues.

Towards the development of believable agents: Adopting neural architectures and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system via playback of human traces

Artificial intelligence (AI) research on video games primarily focused on the imitation of human-like behavior during the past few years. Moreover, to increase the perceived worth of amusement and gratification, there is an enormous rise in the demand for intelligent agents that can imitate human players and video game characters. However, the agents developed using the majority of current approaches are perceived as rather more mechanical, which leads to frustration, and more importantly, failure in engagement. On that account, this study proposes an imitation learning framework to generate human-like behavior for more precise and accurate reproduction. To build a computational model, two learning paradigms are explored, artificial neural networks (ANN) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference systems (ANFIS). This study utilized several variations of ANN, including feed-forward, recurrent, extreme learning machines, and regressions, to simulate human player behavior. Furthermore, to find the ideal ANFIS, grid partitioning, subtractive clustering, and fuzzy c-means clustering are used for training. The results demonstrate that ANFIS hybrid intelligence systems trained with subtractive clustering are overall best with an average accuracy of 95%, followed by fuzzy c-means with an average accuracy of 87%. Also, the believability of the obtained AI agents is tested using two statistical methods, i.e., the Mann–Whitney U test and the cosine similarity analysis. Both methods validate that the observed behavior has been reproduced with high accuracy.

Challenges and Needs in Implementing Sexual Education for Deaf Students: A Case Study from Indonesia

The primary aim of sex education is to provide accurate information on handling risky sexual behavior. For deaf students, who may struggle with complex concepts, effective sex education is crucial to safeguard them against sexual assault and risky sexual behavior. This study examined the implementation of sex education in special schools for the deaf in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, focusing on the challenges faced by educators in delivering this sensitive content. Utilizing a case study and qualitative methodologies, this research gathered insights from school principals and teachers who took part in group discussions. Findings reveal that deaf students face significant challenges with sexual conduct, both individually and in their interactions with others. Despite incorporating sex education into science, religion, and self-development classes, teachers encounter difficulties in addressing sensitive topics and preventing age-inappropriate behaviors. Educators require specialized educational materials to address key topics such as body awareness, physical changes, reproductive health, relationships, pregnancy, and sensitive content. Such materials must be designed with clear visual aids and simple language to effectively meet the learning needs of deaf students. There is a pressing need for resources that facilitate understanding while preventing the imitation of inappropriate behaviors. To enhance sex education for deaf students, it is essential to develop and implement tailored educational resources that use visual aids and straightforward language. By addressing the unique needs of these students, educators can more effectively convey critical information, thereby reducing the risk of inappropriate behavior.

Development of the Checklist for Imitation, Exploration and Imagination Behaviour for Play Observation in Preschool Age

Development of the Checklist for Imitation, Exploration and Imagination Behaviour for Play Observation in Preschool Age

I Go Where You Go: Imitation Behavior and Social Proof in Early-Stage Investments

I Go Where You Go: Imitation Behavior and Social Proof in Early-Stage Investments

Level 1 autism spectrum disorder as a risk factor for suicide in a child: case report

Introduction: Suicidal behavior is one in which the individual has thoughts, plans, and actions with the intention of ending their own life. This is a global public health problem. Recently, autism spectrum disorders have begun to be considered risk factor for suicidal behavior in children and adolescents. Method: Case report. Case presentation: A 12-year-old boy who made a suicide attempt, was admitted to the emergency department at Centro Psíquico da Adolescência e Infância. After a period of irregular treatment, this child made a suicide attempt. As an inpatient, autism spectrum disorder with comorbid depressive disorder was diagnosed after longitudinal and systematic assessments of multidisciplinary team. Treatment was performed according to clinical issues. Discussion: This patient had a form of autism spectrum disorder on which core aspects were not so evident. In this child, there was an overlap between depressive symptoms and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder. Despite social isolation being present, this patient proved capable to disguising his condition using techniques of social and behavioral imitation and camouflage with the aim of adapting to social environment. Conclusion: This study emphasizes the importance of longitudinal evaluation and multidisciplinary assessment to differential diagnosis and appropriate treatment. It also opens a window for further investigations of a possible association between autism spectrum disorders and suicidal behavior in youth.

NEUTRALIZING EMOTIONS IN EARLY CHILDREN

Humans have a characteristic of imitative behavior, including children. Good or bad behavior, good or bad behavior, good or bad habits, are all formed in the social environment (home). Where this can happen due to children's observations of their parents. We must understand the management of emotions in children properly. Because it could be that the emotions conveyed by children are an affirmation or confirmation of the behavior that we as parents exemplify or the application of what we teach. Parents do have more experience than children so they teach their children what they have experienced or know. From the results of the study, it was found that there are still many parents who do not properly capture their children's emotions. So that good emotional management for children has not been achieved. Neutralizing emotions in this child was ultimately chosen as material used for community service activities. With the aim that parents know so they can properly capture their children's emotions. Apart from that, it is also hoped that there will be no incidents of parental violence towards children. This community service was carried out in Rangkah Kidul Village, Sidoarjo. Attended by parents of kindergarten and elementary school students. The activity was carried out in 1 day with a preparation time of 5 weeks. The activity ran smoothly with a total of 56 parents invited and 46 parents attending

Suicide contagion and psychosocial risks among Nepali youth through a near-hanging case study.

The phenomenon of suicide contagion: some individuals, especially vulnerable young people, exhibit increased susceptibility to suicidal ideation when exposed to the suicide of other people. Significant research suggests that exposure to media portrayals, suicide groups and peer suicides may lead to suicide contagion. Prevalent psychosocial and cultural factors in Nepal such as interpersonal conflict, domestic violence, gender inequity and social exclusion probably contribute to suicidal behaviour. This case study investigates a high school student in a rural mountainous community in Nepal, who attempted suicide by hanging following his girlfriend's suicide, and demonstrates how peer suicide exposure prompts imitative behaviour in a vulnerable young person and confirms suicide grief as an underrepresented risk factor. Prompt, supportive interventions for high-risk grievers and societal prevention strategies tailored to adolescents are essential to curb imitative deaths.

The lens of social learning theory: an imitation behaviour to adapting climate change in agriculture

The lens of social learning theory: an imitation behaviour to adapting climate change in agriculture

Improving algorithmic trading consistency via human alignment and imitation learning

Research on algorithmic trading using reinforcement learning has become increasingly popular in recent years. Although most of the current reinforcement learning methods are employed to train the agent for some kind of modeling or data problem, it is worthwhile to explore in aligning agents with human behavior in applications as crucial as financial trading. Achieving such consistency by incorporating human expert experience into agent behavior is a key for potential improvements in this field. Imitation learning learns directly from examples of humans or other agents performing tasks. However, using imitation learning alone suffers from the problem of transitionally fitting expert example data. By combining the advantages of imitation learning and the Advantage Actor–Critic method, the Human Alignment Advantage Actor–Critic (HA3C) algorithm is proposed, to enhance single-asset trading strategy. First, by adding daily and weekly frequency trading data as input features to TimesNet, which is specifically designed to extract correlated temporal patterns from time-series data, it can capture both short-term and long-term features, thus capturing time-series features more comprehensively. Second, an expert action labeling method is proposed to train a strategy prediction network through supervised learning of behavior imitation. Third, a pre-trained strategy network is transferred to balance the exploration and exploitation of the agent’s behavior. Imitation learning techniques leverage finance-specific knowledge to enhance algorithmic trading consistency. This approach enables algorithms to mimic and adapt human decision-making patterns in finance, ultimately improving overall performance. This paper introduces a novel return-based function that efficiently balances short-term and long-term returns over flexible time horizons. It considers the maximum return from different positions and uses flexible time windows to capture trends while maximizing returns. Finally, evaluation on six commonly used datasets, such as DJI and SP500, demonstrates the advantages of the proposed HA3C algorithm compared with other classical and reinforcement learning-based strategies. Notably, on the HSI dataset, the HA3C strategy significantly outperforms other methods, achieving an impressive cumulative return of 681.55% and a Sharpe ratio of 5.07. These results show the superior performance of the HA3C algorithm in enhancing stock trading strategies and its potential to impact algorithmic trading consistency through aligning agent behavior with human expertise.

Smartphone Ownership, Minors’ Well-being, and Parental Mediation Strategies. An Analysis in the Context of Social Media Influencers

Although smartphone ownership among minors has become an important social phenomenon, its impact on children’s and adolescents’ well-being, as well as the mechanisms by which this might take place are not yet sufficiently well-established. To date, no research has examined the effect of smartphone ownership on the well-being of minors through the consumption of influencer-generated content, nor has it explored the effectiveness of the main prevention strategies employed by parents in this context. To fill those gaps, 800 Spanish minors (50% female) aged from 8 to 16 years old (M = 12.33, SD = 2.38) participated in a correlational study in which the ownership of electronic devices, the consumption of influencer generated content, the parasocial relationship with the influencer, and the most common parental mediation strategies were considered. The results showed a positive association between electronic device ownership and psychological discomfort, problematic usage, and imitation of dangerous behaviors. This association was mediated by the consumption of influencer-generated content and the parasocial relationship established by the minor with the influencer. Regarding preventive strategies, only active mediation was inversely related to poorer well-being indicators, however this positive effect significantly decreased when a smartphone or a similar electronic device was owned by the minor (vs. no owned). These findings contribute to the understanding of how smartphone ownership can affect the well-being of children, emphasizing the need for thoughtful consideration when deciding whether to provide smartphones to minors.

The impact of goal saliency and verbal information on selective imitation in 16- to 18-month-olds.

This study aimed to assess which action component (movement or goal) infants prioritize in their imitation behavior when they get information about its relevance from two important sources: perceptual goal saliency and experimenter's verbal information. 16- to 18-month-olds (N=72) observed how the experimenter moved a toy mouse with a hopping or sliding movement onto one of two empty spaces (low goal saliency) or 2D circles (medium saliency), or inside one of two 3D houses (high saliency). Before the demonstration, the experimenter verbally announced the movement style or the goal. Results showed that verbal action descriptions did not influence infants' imitation. However, matching previous findings, infants imitated the goal more often than the movement in the high-saliency condition, and the movement more often than the goal in the low-saliency condition. Moreover, in the novel medium-saliency condition, infants imitated both components equally often. Thus, selective imitation varied as a function of perceptual goal saliency, but not of verbal cues. This suggests that perceptual features can enhance infants' bottom-up processing and imitation of action components, while the impact of top-down processes based on verbal cues may vary depending on task characteristics and infants' verbal abilities, inducing a need for further research.

Pedestrian evacuations with imitation of cooperative behavior.

We analyze the dynamics of room evacuation for mixed populations that include both competitive and cooperative individuals through numerical simulations using the social force model. Cooperative agents represent well-trained individuals who know how to behave in order to reduce risks within high-density crowds. We consider that competitive agents can imitate cooperative behavior when they are in close proximity to cooperators. We study the effects of the imitation of cooperative behavior on the duration and safety of evacuations, analyzing evacuation time and other quantities of interest for varying parameters such as the proportions of mixing, the aspect ratio of the room, and the parameters characterizing individual behaviors. Our main findings reveal that the addition of a relatively small number of cooperative agents into a crowd can reduce evacuation time and the density near the exit door, making the evacuation faster and safer despite an increase in the total number of agents. In particular, for long spaces such as corridors, a small number of added cooperative agents can significantly facilitate the evacuation process. We compare our results with those of systems without imitation and also study the general role of cooperation, providing further analysis for homogeneous populations. Our main conclusions emphasize the potential relevance of training people how to behave in high-density crowds.

Pendampingan Fase Pencarian Jati Diri Remaja Muhammadiyah Jakarta, Fokus Pada Penguatan Pemahaman Berbagai Bentuk Narkoba dan Kesehatan Gigi

Background: The adolescent phase is a phase of physical, psychological, and social change, expressed through imitation and exploration behavior such as trying new culinary delights. Many teenagers forget about their dental health. Apart from that, in their psychological condition, which is still unstable, adolescence is a period that is vulnerable to the influence of drug dealers. It is hoped that this activity can increase understanding and awareness regarding the dangers of drugs and improve hygiene in physical care, especially teeth. Method: 89 SMA 4 Muhammadiyah East Jakarta students participated in this activity. The stages of this activity are carried out by collecting knowledge level data, providing education, evaluating educational results, and mentoring. Results: 100% of SMA Muhammadiyah 4 East Jakarta students did not consume drugs, and 92% did not use dental braces. 18% of students smoke, 29% regularly have dental health checks at the dentist, and 38% have had toothache. Conclusion: High School Muhammadiyah 4 East Jakarta students do not use drugs. It is necessary to provide guidance and assistance to the 18% of students who smoke and 71% who do not visit the dentist regularly to improve their lifestyle and avoid things that are not good for themselves.

Imitation-based Cognitive Learning Optimizer for solving numerical and engineering optimization problems

A novel human cognitive and social interaction-based metaheuristic called Imitation-based Cognitive Learning Optimizer (CLO) is proposed and developed to solve engineering optimization problems effectively. CLO is inspired by humans’ imitation and social learning behavior during the life cycle. The human life cycle consists of various stages. Social and imitating human behavior during the life cycle is incorporated into this algorithm to improve cognitive abilities. The three real-world mechanical engineering optimization problems (Welded beam problem, Tension–Compression String Design Problem, and Speed reducer problem) and 100 challenging benchmark functions including uni-modal, multi-modal and CEC-BC-2017 functions are used for the real-time validation. CLO is compared with 12 state-of-art algorithms from the literature. The experiments along with convergence analysis and Friedman’s Mean Rank (FMR) statistical test show the superiority of CLO over the other chosen algorithms.