[ELI5] Why do we tend to copy attitudes since we are kids? If a kid sees someone doing something, chances are he’ll try and do it as well. Why do we tend to mimick others? Same thing goes for animals, is it some kind of instinct?

Question

[ELI5] Why do we tend to copy attitudes since we are kids? If a kid sees someone doing something, chances are he’ll try and do it as well. Why do we tend to mimick others? Same thing goes for animals, is it some kind of instinct?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Because that’s how we learn. Observe, experiment, and perfect. Other animals do it as well. Babies see people walking and therefore want to walk to try it. They see people talking and try it, even if they don’t know what’s going on. Little by little you perfect the skill.

But imitation has negative side effects as well. Sometimes what you try doesn’t work out how you’d like. Sometimes the need to copy is strong that we don’t realize we’re copying.

But copying is one of the most powerful ways to pass knowledge down from generation to generation.