For example, young humans’ copying is unique in that children are quite selective about whom they choose to imitate. Even preschoolers prefer to imitate people who have shown themselves to be knowledgeable and competent. Research shows that while toddlers will choose to copy their mothers rather than a person they’ve just met, as children grow older they become increasingly willing to copy a stranger if the stranger appears to have special expertise. By the time a child reaches age seven, Mom no longer knows best.
