Current social learning theory proposes that motor skill information which is acquired by means of observational strategies is stored cognitively in the form of a conceptual representation. The latter is then said to be used as a basis for response production and as a standard for response corrections which occur as a function of performance…

Peer interactions are important in the socialization of aggression, sex-role learning, and the internalization of moral values, and contribute to the development of cognitive and language skills. Evidence is presented to support the contention that peer modeling is among the most powerful social influences to which children are exposed.…

This paper describes two experiments designed to determine whether traditional effects of adult nurturance on children's incidental imitation could be obtained using a within-subject design and a functional (rather than operational) definition of nurturance. Four preschool children served as subjects, with four others serving as cross-sex…

Observational learning requires exposure to modeling cues, acquisition of the ability to reproduce what is seen or heard, and acceptance of the model's behavior as a guide for one's own actions, as imitation, counter-imitation, disinhibition, or inhibition. In this overview paper, the author considers a large body of research, especially that…

Twenty first-graders observed an adult model perform a quantity conservation task. The children were then tested on a series of generalization tasks immediately, after one week, and after three months. The results suggested that the social experience of observation appeared to activate a cognitive restructuring of the children's mental operations.…

Intended for parents, the article presents guidelines for designing and implementing a program for teaching the exceptional child, particularly the moderately or severely retarded, to imitate. ( SBH)

This study examined the differential effects on a learning task of two different types of comprehension measures. (SB)

In an attempt to make Vygotsky's theories more accessible, Wertsch in "Vygotsky and the Social Formation of Mind" takes significant liberties with the original works. That leads to serious errors and moves the focus away from the author's own psychological theories. (PS)

Offers a comparison of the pedagogical philosophies of five pioneers in educational computing: Patrick Suppes, Arthur Luehrmann, Alfred Bork, Symour Papert, and Thomas Dwyer. (AEA)

Deferred imitation of object-related actions was studied at two ages, 12 and 18 months, to examine development of competence in observational learning. Three task categories were investigated: simple/single reiterative, and sequentially coordinated actions. Examination of partial successes at both ages was useful for suggesting phases in…

This paper explores the effectiveness of elicited imitation in clinical assessment and remediation procedures for language acquisition in children. (Author)

The present study examined the influence of memory codes varying in meaningfulness and retrievability and cumulative rehearsal on retention of observationally learned responses over increasing temporal intervals. (Editor)

Preschoolers and second graders observed a model choose his "favorites" in a series of common object trios and were then asked to recall the model's choices. Results indicated that children's level of attention influences their level of learning in an observational setting. (ST)

Two experiments investigated the effects of physical contact imitative training and verbal contact imitative training on the degree to which first and second graders exhibited generalized imitative affectionate and aggressive behavior. The effects of punishment as well as extinction on imitative behavior were analyzed. (DP)

This study tested whether modeling and positive vicarious reinforcement produced imitation of a socially approved behavior. The data is discussed in light of the practicality and feasibility of using modeling procedures in the schools. (Author)