Group membership does not modulate goal- versus movement-based imitation
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In: Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol. 76, No. 4, 04.2023, p. 827-837.
Research output: Journal contributions › Journal articles › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Group membership does not modulate goal- versus movement-based imitation
AU - Genschow, Oliver
AU - Pauels, Eileen
AU - Krugmann, Katrin
AU - Winter, Alina
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © Experimental Psychology Society 2022.
PY - 2023/4
Y1 - 2023/4
N2 - It is often put forward that in-group members are imitated more strongly than out-group members. However, the validity of this claim has been questioned as recent investigations were not able to find differences for the imitation of in- versus out-group members. A central characteristic of these failed replications is their mere focus on movement-based imitation, thereby neglecting to take into consideration the superior goal of the movements. By using a computerised version of the pen-and-cups task, we disentangled movement- from goal-based imitation to shed further light onto the link between group membership and imitation. As previous research demonstrated that out-group members (as compared with in-group members) are represented psychologically distant and as psychological distance shifts the degree to which participants engage in goal- versus movement-based imitation, we predicted that in-group members (as compared with out-group members) shift the degree to which individuals imitate movements versus goals. The results did not confirm our predictions, as group membership does not modulate the degree of movement- versus goal-based imitation. Theoretical implications and the question whether imitative behaviour is socially modulated are discussed.
AB - It is often put forward that in-group members are imitated more strongly than out-group members. However, the validity of this claim has been questioned as recent investigations were not able to find differences for the imitation of in- versus out-group members. A central characteristic of these failed replications is their mere focus on movement-based imitation, thereby neglecting to take into consideration the superior goal of the movements. By using a computerised version of the pen-and-cups task, we disentangled movement- from goal-based imitation to shed further light onto the link between group membership and imitation. As previous research demonstrated that out-group members (as compared with in-group members) are represented psychologically distant and as psychological distance shifts the degree to which participants engage in goal- versus movement-based imitation, we predicted that in-group members (as compared with out-group members) shift the degree to which individuals imitate movements versus goals. The results did not confirm our predictions, as group membership does not modulate the degree of movement- versus goal-based imitation. Theoretical implications and the question whether imitative behaviour is socially modulated are discussed.
KW - goal- versus movement-based imitation
KW - group membership
KW - Imitation
KW - Management studies
KW - Psychology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85142605432&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/4b24ee67-c716-3f85-9397-d156c17e7cec/
U2 - 10.1177/17470218221132842
DO - 10.1177/17470218221132842
M3 - Journal articles
C2 - 36214280
AN - SCOPUS:85142605432
VL - 76
SP - 827
EP - 837
JO - Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
JF - Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
SN - 1747-0218
IS - 4
ER -