Question

Deferred imitation occurs when:

• A. The infant has learned a mental structure (schema) of the external world.
• B. The infant has learned to observe the mannerisms of the adults.
• C. The infant has learned about the cause and effect relations (causality).
• D. The infant has learned that certain things are related (coordinated space).

Answer 1

Answer:

A. The infant has learned a mental structure (schema) of the external world.

Deferred imitation is a psychological learning mechanism that involves a child observing an action and then repeating it later: 

• Definition

  Deferred imitation is the ability to reproduce an action or sequence of actions after a delay. 

• Process

  A child observes an action, usually from an adult, and then repeats it after a period of time. 

• Purpose

  Deferred imitation is a common way to assess a child's memory abilities. 

• Developmental stages

  Developmental psychologist Jean Piaget theorized that infants develop deferred imitation between 16 and 24 months. 

• Explanation

  Piaget believed that infants develop the ability to encode an internal representation of an object or action as their mental representation matures. This allows them to imitate after a delay, instead of relying on an external model.