Which of the following statements accurately describes an infant's ability to imitate?
A) Infants are not able to engage in deferred imitation until they reach 1 year of age.
B) An infant is more likely to imitate an adult than they are another child.
C) Imitation is purely based on experience.
D) A 12-month-old infant is capable of demonstrating deferred imitation 4 weeks after observing a person perform an action.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Research has shown that infants as young as 6-9 months old are capable of imitating simple actions and by 12 months of age, they can engage in deferred imitation, which is the ability to imitate an action after a delay. This means that a 12-month-old infant is capable of demonstrating deferred imitation 4 weeks after observing a person perform an action. Option A is incorrect because infants can engage in deferred imitation before they reach 1 year of age. Option B is incorrect because infants are equally likely to imitate both adults and other children. Option C is incorrect because while experience can influence imitation, there are innate mechanisms that help infants imitate actions even without prior experience.

Which of the Following Statements Accurately Describes an Infant's Ability