We are social animals. Our social surroundings shape us in more ways than one. Those we choose or unwittingly allow in our “cognitive neighborhood” can have tremendous effects on our health, mentality and even personality development. Cognitive scientists at Indiana University investigating social learning have unearthed yet another one of these social triggers, and it might catch you off guard.
It is intuitive to imagine that the people around you might influence your own ambitions and worldly outlook. The way this works, however, may surprise you. For instance, at Indiana University Bloomington, researchers found that surrounding yourself with copycats instead of innovators can provide you with a performance boost.
Innovation is a prized trait, and big names in society are often associated with the term. To be called an imitator certainly sounds less flattering in a society where ideas can be profitably patented. At the same time, the two can be confused and greatly misunderstood.
Imitators look at existing solutions and then introduce their own adaptations, building on top of the original work. Innovators discard the original entirely for an idea or solution without a legacy foundation. Much of the “innovation” that might traditionally pop up in your mind when you think of the word, is likely a form of imitation. To imitate is to contribute to the cultural memory of our species. The concept of cultural evolution, where our ideas and practices are inherited between generations independent of major biological change, is generally associated with the human race. However, non-human organisms appear to exhibit these characteristics too. The hunting behaviors of cliff swallows start with a single swallow’s successful identification of a bug swarm. It only takes one bee to find that resource-rich flower patch. There is something natural about using the successes of others as lessons for yourself or the betterment of society at large.
This was demonstrated in a controlled style by Robert Goldstone, a professor of psychology at Indiana University Bloomington, and Thomas Wisdom, an independent researcher, who co-wrote the paper “Social Learning Strategies in Networked Groups.” In this study on problem solving, the researchers developed a computer game dubbed Creature League to represent their problem space, a simpler version of some popular online games.
The game involves a series of 24 or 48 creature icons, each with an associated point value, from which each player picks teams of five or six. The objective is to increase your score by choosing different teams of creatures over 24 10-second rounds, using a scoring function unknown to the players. The participants are pitted against up to eight other players at a time. The game is designed to have millions of possibilities that are impossible to comprehensively explore in a single game.
The players can choose creatures from a gallery, with no information about the creatures provided. This is the “innovation choice.” Alternatively, players can choose team members by copying creatures from other players’ teams, whose scores can be seen. This is the “imitation choice.”
From the results gathered, imitation provided score benefits, proving that the old phrase, “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery” may hold some value. Next time someone rips off your mannerisms or steals your style, shake your fist at evolution. Or, just smile at the flattery – you might be getting something back.
