description Andrew Meltzoff Overview
Andrew N. Meltzoff is an American developmental psychologist associated with the University of Washington and research on infant learning and social cognition. He became known for experiments reporting imitation of facial and manual actions by very young infants, findings that shaped theories about links between observing and performing actions, although newborn imitation remains scientifically debated. His broader work examines how children understand people and learn through interaction.
help Andrew Meltzoff FAQ
What is Andrew Meltzoff's famous infant imitation experiment?
Meltzoff and Andrew Moore published a landmark 1977 study showing that newborns as young as 12-21 days old could imitate adult facial gestures such as tongue protrusion and mouth opening. This challenged the prevailing view that infants were born as blank slates with no capacity for social learning.
Where does Andrew Meltzoff work?
Meltzoff is a professor at the University of Washington, where he co-directs the Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS). He has been affiliated with the university for decades and has conducted extensive research on infant cognitive and social development.
What is Meltzoff's research on infant social cognition?
Meltzoff's research has explored how infants and young children develop an understanding of others' goals and intentions, finding evidence of imitative learning that suggests preverbal infants attribute goals to others' actions. His work has been influential in developmental psychology's understanding of early social cognition.
Has Meltzoff's neonatal imitation research been controversial?
Yes, the neonatal imitation findings have been debated within developmental psychology, with some researchers arguing the responses may reflect arousal or reflexive behavior rather than true imitation. The debate continues, with some replication studies yielding mixed results.
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