Social Influence and Popularity

For 5-8 month olds

This study will take place on a video call, live with a researcher! Clicking on the “Participate Now!” button will send you to an online calendar where you can select a date and time that works for you. In this Zoom-based study, your child will observe animated characters (3D shapes with eyes) either imitate or not imitate other characters.

Social dynamics play a crucial role in how we navigate interactions with others. However, little is known about how infants make sense of social influence. The present study asks how infants respond to individuals (here, animated characters) who are imitated by others. Such acts of imitation may communicate that an individual has social influence over others. This research will shed light on infants' understanding of social influence, as well as how children may begin to reason about leadership and expertise.

30 minutes

Children will receive a $5 online gift card and (if requested) a certificate of participation, within 24 hours of participating over Zoom. To receive the gift card and certificate, the child must be within the age range for our study. Each child will only receive one gift card. We can compensate participants with an Amazon US gift card, or with an alternative online gift card. We'll ask you about what gift cards work for your family, and we'll work with our lab manager to get you a suitable gift card.