Vicarious Reward and Task Complexity as Determinants of Imitative Learning: A Modified Replication

Abstract

As in an earlier study with older children, a brief exposure to a model was shown to produce appreciable learning by preschool Ss on a substantive educational task. Although vicarious reward again favorably influenced imitative learning under high-complexity conditions, the borderline reliability of this effect with younger Ss suggests that the effects of vicarious reward should be studied developmentally.