儿童过度模仿的原因、意义及其教育启示

On Children's Over-imitation

模仿和完成与任务明显无关的动作的行为被称为过度模仿。这一现象在学前儿童中普遍存在,分析其成因及意义对理解这一行为十分重要。自动因果编码理论认为过度模仿的儿童对无关动作进行了错误的因果编码;规范学习理论认为儿童过度模仿是由于觉察并遵守了社会规范;社会联结理论则强调过度模仿服务于儿童建立社会联结的动机。过度模仿具有三点适应性意义:第一,能够促进儿童自身的技能学习;第二,能够促进儿童的社会适应;第三,能够保证代际文化的传承。这启示教育工作者在引导儿童习得工具时需避免过度模仿,同时又要善于利用过度模仿来促进儿童同伴交往与文化传承。

Over-imitation means that children copy a series of goal-oriented actions and also actions irrelevant to the goal. This phenomenon is prevalent among preschoolers. This article focuses on what causes this ＂unwise＂ behavior, and the probable adaptive role it plays in children＇s development. According to Automatic Causal Encoding （ACE） hypothesis, children over-imitate because they automatically encode the irrelevant actions as causally necessary actions to the goal. Contrary to ACE hypothesis, researchers for norm learning theory found that over-imitators didn＇t take the unnecessary actions as causal actions when asked to explain their behaviors. Instead, they often used normative language to point out others＇ omission of these actions. Social affiliation motivation hypothesis suggested that children imitate because they want to build social bonds with the demonstrator. Over-imitation brings some benefits for children as well as human culture. Firstly, it serves as a learning strategy especially under an ＂opaque＂ environment. Secondly, over-imitation helps promote social adaptation. Thirdly, over-imitation keeps cultural transmission. So in tool-learning, adults should instruct kids to avoid the unnecessary actions. However, imitation could be used as an effective peer- interaction method and passing down traditional cultures to the next generation.