This document discusses social cognition in early childhood learning. It makes two main points: 1) Human learning starts at birth, so theories of learning must also start early. 2) Infants learn best from other people through social learning and imitation. The document then provides several examples of research that demonstrate imitation from birth, the role of emotions in learning, neural bases of social learning, the importance of gaze following for language development, and potential extensions to social robots. It argues that a new science of learning should recognize the natural social aspects of early childhood learning through imitation and social interaction.

1. Social Cognition in the Early Years
Andrew N. Meltzoff
LIFE Center
University of Washington
http://ilabs.washington.edu

2. Two Starting Points for Theory & Practice
• Human learning starts at birth, so the
Science of Learning must start at birth
• Infants learn first and best from other people:
“Social Leaning”

3. Role Models and Imitative Learning

4. Imitation as a Basic Learning Mechanism
For Transmission of Culture
We discovered that imitation begins
at birth!

6. Emotions and Learning
In the second year of life, infants are very
sensitive to emotional reactions. This influences
their learning. The research is explained in the
references below:
• Repacholi & Meltzoff, Child Development, 2007
• Repacholi, Meltzoff, & Olsen, Developmental Psychology, 2008
This shows that non-cognitive factors play a
major role in pre-school learning

7. The Social Brain
We investigated the neural basis of social
learning, using EEG recordings in young
children as they observed and imitated an adult

8. Imitation Task for EEG
(mu rhythm desynchronization)
Marshall & Meltzoff Marshall, Young, & Meltzoff,
Dev. Cog. Neurosci., 2011 Dev. Sci., 2011

9. Gaze Following: Social Learning

10. Gaze Following is crucial developmental
component of learning
• Learning language, names for things
• Learning about new objects and concepts
• Acquiring new skills via imitation and instruction

11. Gaze Following & Joint Visual Attention
Using technology
• Problem: Establishing joint reference in computer-
mediated communications and multimedia
• Domains: Diagrams, pictures, dynamic videos
• Important: For computer supported collaborative
learning

12. Infant Gaze
Following
Time
Brooks & Meltzoff,
Dev. Psych., 2002

13. Gaze and Language Learning:
Gaze Following + Pointing Predicts
Vocabulary Growth (SES controlled)
600
+ High Social Gaze
500
Words Produced
Following & Pointing
400
300
- Low Social Gaze
200 Following & Pointing
100
0
10-11 14 18 24
Brooks & Meltzoff (2008)
Age in Months J. of Child Language

14. Extensions to Social Robots
Infant Imitation
Robotic Imitation
Meltzoff, Brooks, Shon, & Rao
Robotic Gaze Following (2010). Neural Networks.

15. Psychological Theory
• Infants: Imitation of a person’s motor behavior
• Elementary-school children: Take on the
attitudes & attributes associated of the group
- With development, children establish ‘Like
me’ class. Based on that, the way culture
treats other ‘like me’ people has implications
for the child’s development. This applies
across the life-span.
Meltzoff, “Like Me” theory,
Dev. Sci. 2007

16. Practice
Gaze Following & Imitation in Everyday Life
Children learn naturally by
watching what others do
But in formal schooling
we often force them
to learn in isolation

17. A New Science of Learning
Meltzoff, Kuhl, Movellan, & Sejnowski, Science (2009)