Why we de copy - even when it’s pointless?
Humans are naturally good at learning from observing others, often copying behaviours that produce desirable results. But, unlike other species, we also copy actions that serve no seemingly practical purpose—a phenomenon known as over-imitation.
Over-Imitation: Copying Just Because
Studies show that when adults perform a complex series of actions, including irrelevant ones like tapping a puzzle box with a feather, children who watch tend to copy all of the actions, even the unnecessary ones (Lyons et al., 2007). What’s interesting is that they do this even when they’ve been told the extra steps won’t help open the box. And it’s not just children—adults fall into this trap too (McGuigan et al., 2011).
So, why do we do it?
Well, there are different reasons (or possible benefits) such as learning, belonging, avoiding ostracization, and easing cognitive load.
The Power of Ritual and Synchronisation
Across cultures, rituals often involve synchronised actions like group dancing, chanting, or drumming. These shared behaviours seem to stem from a deep-rooted human desire to belong. When we fear exclusion from a group, we may imitate others more closely, even mimicking ritualistic actions that serve no direct purpose (Legare & Watson-Jones, 2015).
Think of our hunter-gatherer ancestors: to survive in tightly-knit groups, conforming to the tribe’s customs—no matter how odd they might seem—was essential (Henrich, 2016). The more strongly we want to fit in, the more we stick to the script.
Cognitive Shortcuts: Why We Don’t Always Question What We Do
Many behaviours don’t require much thought once they become habits. These automatic actions are a form of instrumental reasoning—even if we don’t fully understand why we do something, we assume there’s a good reason for it (Sloman, 1996). Copying saves us time and mental energy, preventing us from having to figure everything out through trial and error (Boyd & Richerson, 2005).
Passing Down Knowledge: Learning Through Trust
Over-imitation also plays a crucial role in how humans pass down knowledge through generations. By copying everything—including irrelevant steps—children and adults ensure that valuable skills and discoveries aren’t lost (Csibra & Gergely, 2006). Psychologists suggest that our tendency to "copy all, correct later" helps us fit into groups and learn more efficiently.
It’s not just about learning practical skills, though. This behaviour reinforces group identity and helps us feel connected to others.
As the philosopher Eric Hoffer once said, "When people are free to do as they please, they usually imitate each other" (Hoffer, 1951).
The Compulsion to Imitate: It’s in Our Nature
Humans have a natural compulsion to imitate, even when the behaviour seems pointless. Think of how we mimic the wearing of sparkly jewellery or performing other seemingly meaningless actions. We don’t often stop to question these things—we just copy (Legare & Nielsen, 2015).
As social creatures, we absorb behaviours from our environment, and this tendency is particularly strong in childhood when we trust that the adults around us know what they’re doing. If adult are doing it, we assume there must be a good reason for it!
Conformity for Social Survival
Conformity is not just a social nicety; it’s key to survival in a social context. We adopt the customs and rituals of our group because, deep down, we know that fitting in is crucial. When we make a social faux pas, it’s not the fear of punishment that bothers us most—it’s the fear of being ostracised from the group (Brewer, 2007).
This fear of rejection is such a powerful motivator that it often overrides our need to learn new, more efficient ways of doing things. For children especially, the drive to fit in is a major reason for over-imitation (Over & Carpenter, 2012). Anyone fancy a vape?
There is much evidence of copying behaviour in human body language
Humans have an innate tendency to mirror and match each other’s behaviours, a phenomenon that plays a crucial role in social interactions, allowing us to connect, communicate, and build rapport more effectively. We can also learn through experiencing the affect of actions.
Building Rapport and Connection
One of the key reasons we mirror others is to build rapport. When we mimic someone’s gestures, posture, or facial expressions, we unconsciously signal that we are on the same wavelength. This behaviour helps create a sense of unity and understanding, making the person we’re interacting with feel more comfortable and connected to us.
Research into this behaviour shows that people tend to like those who mirror their movements. Psychologists Tanya Chartrand and John Bargh coined the term the chameleon effect to describe this phenomenon, where individuals unconsciously mimic each other’s non-verbal cues. Their studies demonstrated that when people feel they are being mirrored, they develop a stronger sense of connection and trust towards the person mimicking them (Chartrand & Bargh, 1999).
Enhancing Communication
Mirroring also plays an important role in effective communication. By subtly matching someone’s body language, we signal that we are paying attention and that we understand what they are saying. This can make conversations flow more smoothly, as it helps both parties feel in sync with each other.
For example, during a conversation, if one person leans forward while speaking, the other may instinctively do the same. This non-verbal cue signals engagement and interest, encouraging further dialogue and deepening mutual understanding.
Demonstrating Empathy and Understanding
Mirroring is also closely linked to empathy. When we unconsciously mimic someone’s gestures or facial expressions, we are demonstrating that we understand how they feel. This is why mirroring is common in emotionally charged situations, such as comforting a friend or negotiating a compromise.
Psychological research supports the idea that those who are more empathetic are more likely to engage in mirroring behaviours. By reflecting someone else’s body language, we are able to signal our understanding and create a space for deeper emotional connection.
Context and Cultural Differences
While the tendency to mirror others is universal, the extent to which we do it can vary depending on cultural norms and social contexts. In some cultures, overtly mirroring someone’s body language might be seen as inappropriate, while in others, it can be a sign of respect or deference.
Despite these cultural differences, the underlying principle remains the same: copying and mirroring helps us learn, bond, avoid cognitive load, empathise, belong, avoid ostracism and better communicate with others.
Suggested Reading:
Whitehouse, H. (2024). Inheritance: The Evolutionary Origins of the Modern World. Hutchinson.
References:
Whiten, A., McGuigan, N., Marshall-Pescini, S., & Hopper, L. M. (2009). Emulation, imitation, over-imitation and the scope of culture for child and chimpanzee. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 364(1528), 2417-2428.
Lyons, D. E., Young, A. G., & Keil, F. C. (2007). The hidden structure of overimitation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 104(50), 19751-19756.
McGuigan, N., Makinson, J., & Whiten, A. (2011). From over-imitation to super-copying: Adults imitate causally irrelevant aspects of tool use with higher fidelity than young children. British Journal of Psychology, 102(1), 1-18.
Legare, C. H., & Watson-Jones, R. E. (2015). The evolution and ontogeny of ritual. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 24(2), 87-92.
Henrich, J. (2016). The secret of our success: How culture is driving human evolution, domesticating our species, and making us smarter. Princeton University Press.
Sloman, S. A. (1996). The empirical case for two systems of reasoning. Psychological Bulletin, 119(1), 3-22.
Boyd, R., & Richerson, P. J. (2005). The origin and evolution of cultures. Oxford University Press.
Csibra, G., & Gergely, G. (2006). Social learning and social cognition: The case for pedagogy. In Processes of Change in Brain and Cognitive Development: Attention and Performance (pp. 249-274). Oxford University Press.
Legare, C. H., & Nielsen, M. (2015). Imitation and innovation: The dual engines of cultural learning. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 19(11), 688-699.
Kapitány, R., & Nielsen, M. (2015). The roots of ritual. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 370(1663), 20140465.
Brewer, M. B. (2007). The social self: On being the same and different at the same time. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 33(5), 631-642.
Over, H., & Carpenter, M. (2012). Putting the social into social learning: Explaining both selectivity and fidelity in children's copying behaviour. Journal of Comparative Psychology, 126(2), 182-192.
Chartrand, T. L., & Bargh, J. A. (1999). The chameleon effect: The perception–behaviour link and social interaction. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 76(6), 893–910.
Lakin, J. L., Jefferis, V. E., Cheng, C. M., & Chartrand, T. L. (2003). The chameleon effect as social glue: Evidence for the evolutionary significance of nonconscious mimicry. Journal of Nonverbal Behaviour, 27(3), 145–162.
Iacoboni, M. (2009). Mirroring People: The New Science of How We Connect with Others. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux.
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