The Two Functions of Imitation in the Second Year of Life – a Longitudinal Study

Infant imitation serves a cognitive and a social function. As part of their temperament, infants’ social orientation and attention mirror these two functions. This longitudinal study investigated the development of these two functions within the second year of life in German infants (N = 136, 74 female) using standardized tests at 12, 18, and 24 months in 2018 and 2019. We measured temperament via two established parental questionnaires (IBQ-R, ECBQ) and behavioral observation (Lab-TAB), imitation via the Frankfurt Imitation Test, and cognitive development via the Cognitive Scale of the Bayley Scales. Hierarchical regressions revealed that social orientation and imitation are associated from 12 months on, whereas no relation between cognitive variables and imitation was found. This suggests imitation serves a primarily social function early in life