Wood et al. (2012)

Question 1

Abstract?

Answer 1

• Investigated whether the age and knowledge state of a model affected the exactness of children’s copying

Question 2

Introduction?

Answer 2

• explicitly investigated the effect of 2 model-based biases on children’s copying fidelity

Question 3

Method?

Answer 3

• Children watched a model perform relevant and irrelevant actions on a puzzle box
• The model was either a child or adult and was either knowledgeable about the puzzle box or not
• It was a between subjects design

Question 4

Results?

Answer 4

• 5 year old children will imitate relevant actions on a puzzle box demonstrated by children and adult models
• But they copied irrelevant actions demonstrated by an adult more than if demonstrated by a child
• Whether the model said they were knowledgeable or not about the task in had less effect on imitation than the models age

Question 5

Conclusion?

Answer 5

• Children and adults have ‘model biases’ = cognitive shortcuts which dictate who they copy and when
• Age of model might be a stronger bias on imitation than knowledge state of model
• Because knowledge state had some influence on copying there may be a hierarchy of ‘model biases’

Question 6

Evaluation of the study?

Answer 6

• Good sample size (96 children)
• Control group used with no model
• However they used a video demonstration and not a real life model