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Cited by 39Action Observation and SynchronizationChild and Animal Learning DevelopmentFace Recognition and Perception

The imitation game: Effects of social cues on ‘imitation’ are domain-general in nature

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Marsh, Lauren E., Bird, Geoffrey, Catmur, Caroline·2016·NeuroImage
DOI 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.06.050
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Abstract

Imitation has been hailed as 'social glue', facilitating rapport with others. Previous studies suggest that social cues modulate imitation but the mechanism of such modulation remains underspecified. Here we examine the locus, specificity, and neural basis of the social control of imitation. Social cues (group membership and eye gaze) were manipulated during an imitation task in which imitative and spatial compatibility could be measured independently. Participants were faster to perform compatible compared to incompatible movements in both spatial and imitative domains. However, only spatial compatibility was modulated by social cues: an interaction between group membership and eye gaze revealed more spatial compatibility for ingroup members with direct gaze and outgroup members with averted gaze. The fMRI data were consistent with this finding. Regions associated with the control of imitative responding (temporoparietal junction, inferior frontal gyrus) were more active during imitatively incompatible compared to imitatively compatible trials. However, this activity was not modulated by social cues. On the contrary, an interaction between group, gaze and spatial compatibility was found in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in a pattern consistent with reaction times. This region may be exerting control over the motor system to modulate response inhibition.

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  • A number of studies showed engagement of regions associated with the MD network, including dorsal frontoparietal cortex, supplementary motor area, and anterior insula, during imitation control.

    “In addition, a number of studies showed engagement of regions associated with the MD network, including dorsal frontoparietal cortex, supplementary motor area (SMA) and anterior insula (Marsh, Bird, & Catmur, 2016;Cross & Iacoboni, 2013;Mengotti, Corradi-Dell'Acqua, & Rumiati, 2012;Crescentini, Mengotti, Grecucci, & Rumiati, 2011;Bien, Roebroeck, Goebel, & Sack, 2009).”

    From Functional Specificity and Sex Differences in the Neural Circuits Supporting the Inhibition of Automatic Imitation (2018) · cites this paper as Marsh, Bird, & Catmur, 2016

    The “Effects of imitative compatibility” section (page not provided) reports activation in the inferior parietal lobule and a cluster extending to dorsal premotor cortex during imitatively incompatible trials. It does not report supplementary motor area or anterior insula activation, and the “fMRI results” section distinguishes the imitation-control network from regions recruited by spatial compatibility alone. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • To measure imitation interference independent of spatial compatibility effects, spatial and imitative processes need to be dissociated.

    “To measure imitation interference independent of spatial compatibility effects, spatial and imitative processes need to be dissociated (Gowen, Bolton, & Poliakoff, 2016;Marsh et al., 2016;Boyer, Longo, & Bertenthal, 2012;Cooper, Catmur, & Heyes, 2012;Catmur & Heyes, 2011;Wiggett, Hudson, Tipper, & Downing, 2011;Bertenthal, Longo, & Kosobud, 2006).”

    From Functional Specificity and Sex Differences in the Neural Circuits Supporting the Inhibition of Automatic Imitation (2018) · cites this paper as Marsh et al., 2016

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Authors
Marsh, L. E., Bird, G., & Catmur, C.
Affiliations
  • University of Surrey (GB)
  • King's College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Marsh, Lauren E.
ORCID
Venue
NeuroImage
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-10
Volume
139
Pages
368-375
ISSN
1053-8119 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.neuroimage.2016.06.050
OpenAlex
W2462105136
Cited by
39
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 2 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 2
FWCI
9.98
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • NeuroImage (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Repository@Nottingham (University of Nottingham) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Explore Bristol Research (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Bristol Research (University of Bristol) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • Repository@Nottingham (University of Nottingham) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • Nottingham ePrints (University of Nottingham) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
Economic and Social Research Council (ES/K00140X/1)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Child and Animal Learning Development
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
Keywords
imitation, social cues, gaze, group membership, spatial compatibility, response inhibition, temporoparietal junction, inferior frontal gyrus, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, motor control, social cognition
MeSH terms
Adult, Brain, Brain Mapping, Cues, Female, Humans, Imitative Behavior, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Social Behavior, Social Perception, Young Adult

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