Evaluating the influence of action- and subject-specific factors on chimpanzee action copying

The ability to imitate has been deemed crucial for the emergence of human culture. Although non-human animals also possess culture, the acquisition mechanisms underlying behavioural variation between populations in other species is still under debate. It is especially controversial whether great apes can spontaneously imitate. Action- and subject-specific factors have been suggested to influence the likelihood of an action to be imitated. However, few studies have jointly tested these hypotheses. Just one study to date has reported spontaneous imitation in chimpanzees (Persson et al . 2017 Primates 59 , 19–29), although important methodological limitations were not accounted for. Here, we present a study in which we (i) replicate the above-mentioned study addressing their limitations in an observational study of human–chimpanzee imitation; and (ii) aim to test the influence of action- and subject-specific factors on action copying in chimpanzees by providing human demonstrations of multiple actions to chimpanzees of varying rearing background. To properly address our second aim, we conducted a preparatory power analysis using simulated data. Contrary to Persson et al .'s study, we found extremely low rates of spontaneous chimpanzee imitation and we did not find enough cases of action matching to be able to apply our planned model with sufficient statistical power. We discuss possible factors explaining the lack of observed action matching in our experiments compared with previous studies.

Effects of coaching on the fidelity of parent implementation of reciprocal imitation training

Imitation is an important early social communicative skill that is often impaired in young children with autism. Reciprocal imitation training is an easy-to-implement intervention that targets social imitation and can be taught to parents or other caregivers to implement at home and in the community. In this study, parents of children with autism were taught to implement reciprocal imitation training. The quality of parent fidelity of intervention implementation and rates of child spontaneous imitation were examined in three phases: baseline, post-didactic training, and after the introduction of 1:1 coaching. The results suggest that coaching improved parent fidelity with all parent participants, and this correlated to an increase in spontaneous imitation with some of the child participants.

Tail walking in a bottlenose dolphin community: the rise and fall of an arbitrary cultural ‘fad’

Social learning of adaptive behaviour is widespread in animal populations, but the spread of arbitrary behaviours is less common. In this paper, we describe the rise and fall of a behaviour called tail walking, where a dolphin forces the majority of its body vertically out of the water and maintains the position by vigourously pumping its tail, in a community of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops aduncus ). The behaviour was introduced into the wild following the rehabilitation of a wild female individual, Billie, who was temporarily co-housed with trained dolphins in a dolphinarium. This individual was sighted performing the behaviour seven years after her 1988 release, as was one other female dolphin named Wave. Initial production of the behaviour was rare, but following Billie's death two decades after her release, Wave began producing the behaviour at much higher rates, and several other dolphins in the community were subsequently sighted performing the behaviour. Social learning is the most likely mechanism for the introduction and spread of this unusual behaviour, which has no known adaptive function. These observations demonstrate the potential strength of the capacity for spontaneous imitation in bottlenose dolphins, and help explain the origin and spread of foraging specializations observed in multiple populations of this genus.

The Embodied Nature of Autistic Learning: Implications for Physical Education

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and learning difficulties are difficult to separate in clinic manifestations and diagnoses. By taking learning as being-in-the-world, this article considers the embodied nature of autistic learning and urges its importance for understanding the phenomenological core of ASD. We begin by arguing that three mainstream contemporary ASD theories are inherently limited in offering an adequate account of autistic learning due to the disembodied ontology inscribed within them. Then, we provide an understanding of learning guided by the subjective dynamics of experience. Instead of having a disembodied and individualistic point of view, we suggest that autistic learning has an embodied nature. The “inappropriate” or “abnormal” affections and behaviors in the autistic experience of learning may actually be inherently meaningful for individuals with ASD. They strive to make sense of some basic disturbances and re-establish some form of coherence with the world, though this may only be possible in the form of delusions or autistic withdrawals. Finally, we explore the relationship between autistic learning and physical education and suggest in particular how spontaneous imitation can boost the development of children with ASD. We conclude that the application of implicit learning strategies in playful settings and the reduction of explicit strategies based upon intellectual reasoning rather than bodily reciprocity should be encouraged in the process of autistic learning.

Social Intervention for Adolescents With Autism and Significant Intellectual Disability: Initial Efficacy of Reciprocal Imitation Training

Individuals with autism have difficulty with social skills across the lifespan. Few social interventions have been examined for older individuals with autism who also have significant intellectual disabilities (ID). Previous research suggests that reciprocal imitation training (RIT) improves imitation and social engagement in young children with autism. This study used a multiple-baseline design to examine whether RIT could improve social behaviors in four adolescents with autism and significant ID. All adolescents improved their spontaneous imitation and two improved their joint engagement. In addition, two adolescents decreased their rate of self-stimulatory behaviors over the course of treatment. Overall, these results suggest that RIT may be effective at improving social interaction and decreasing self-stimulatory behavior in adolescents with autism and significant ID.