In this blog post, we will look at the differences between imitation in humans and animals to see how imitation goes beyond simple copying to become a key part of the development of civilization.
Imitation refers to observing new or non-innate behaviors and replicating those behaviors, which necessarily involves observation and learning. The concept of imitation can be better understood by examining the behavioral differences between humans and higher intelligent animals.
In one experiment, young chimpanzees and children were asked to observe the actions of a demonstrator and then imitate them. Two plastic food boxes of the same structure were used, with the only difference being that one was transparent and the other was opaque. The top and bottom of each box were blocked by partitions. The bottom compartment of each box had a door from which food could be removed, while the top compartment only had a hole. The young chimpanzees and children observed the demonstrator tapping the top of the box with a stick and then inserting the stick into the hole once. They then observed the demonstrator opening the door of the lower compartment and using the stick to remove the food. The young chimpanzees were able to follow the demonstration well in the case of the opaque box, but not in the case of the transparent box. As if they knew that only the lower compartment was necessary to obtain the food, they eliminated unnecessary actions and obtained the food. However, children followed the demonstrator’s actions regardless of whether the box was opaque or transparent.
This difference between young chimpanzees and children can be explained by mirror neurons in neuroscience. Mirror neurons are a type of nerve cell that show the same activation when observing the actions of another actor as when performing the action themselves. Experiments have shown that the degree of mirror neuron activation differs between “observation of an action,” “performance of an action without observation,” and “imitation.” Mirror neurons were more active in “execution of actions without observation” than in “observation of actions,” and showed the highest activation in “imitation.” Furthermore, when the goal of the other party’s actions was clear, mirror neurons were activated in all primates. On the other hand, in situations where it was difficult to observe the goal, mirror neurons were hardly activated in primates other than humans. In other words, it can be explained that they do not imitate the behavior because they cannot observe the goal of the behavior related to the upper compartment of the transparent box. Human mirror neurons can be activated in a sophisticated manner not only by behavioral goals but also by the manner in which the behavior is performed and the intention behind it.
Another example of imitation behavior is the process of language acquisition in young children. Children develop their language skills by listening to their parents and others around them and repeating what they hear. In this process, they imitate pronunciation, intonation, and grammatical structures. They do not simply repeat words, but come to understand and use the context and meaning of language. This process goes beyond simple behavioral imitation and involves complex cognitive abilities and social learning.
Human mirror neurons work together with other parts of the brain to increase the level of imitation. If we consider that mirror neurons are involved in the human imitation process, we can think that humans have become capable of accurately imitating even behaviors that seem inefficient through a mechanism of imitation that follows what is there. This difference between humans and higher intelligent animals suggests the true meaning of imitation.
Although higher-intelligence animals also have some ability to imitate, humans differ greatly in that they pass on and develop culture and knowledge through imitation. For example, imitation plays an important role in various fields, such as tool use, social norms, and artistic expression. Through imitation, humans achieve social learning that goes beyond individual learning, which can be seen as an important contribution to the development of human civilization.
In conclusion, imitation is more than just the replication of behavior. Imitation is achieved through learning and observation, enabling humans to acquire and pass on complex behaviors and knowledge. This represents an important behavioral difference between humans and higher intelligent animals and plays a key role in the development of human civilization. By understanding the process and results of imitation, we can gain a deeper understanding of the nature of human behavior and the importance of social learning.
