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Infant orofacial movements: Inputs, if not outputs, of early imitative ability?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 December 2017

Eoin P. O'Sullivan
Affiliation:
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom. [email protected]://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/[email protected]://sites.google.com/site/christineannacaldwell/
Christine A. Caldwell
Affiliation:
Faculty of Natural Sciences, Behaviour and Evolution Research Group, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA, United Kingdom. [email protected]://rms.stir.ac.uk/converis-stirling/person/[email protected]://sites.google.com/site/christineannacaldwell/

Abstract

According to Keven & Akins (K&A), infant orofacial gestures may not reflect imitative responses. Here, we emphasise that these actions nonetheless represent a significant feature of the infant's early sensorimotor experience, and therefore may play a key role in the development of imitative capacities. We discuss how the ideas proposed in the target article could contribute substantially to experiential accounts of imitation.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2017 

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