The forest, the trees, and the chameleon: context dependence and mimicry.
Three studies examined the relation between context dependence in information processing and behavioral mimicry. In Experiment 1, a field-dependent cognitive style was related to a greater tendency to mimic a target's behavior. In Experiment 2 context dependence was experimentally manipulated, and results showed more mimicry in the session where a context-dependent processing style was induced compared with the session where a context-independent processing style was induced. Experiment 3 provided evidence for bidirectionality in the relation between context dependence and mimicry. Specifically, participants whose posture and behavior had been unobtrusively mimicked by an experimenter subsequently processed information in a more context-dependent manner than did nonmimicked participants. Taken together, these results illustrate the interplay between basic cognitive and behavioral processes.
Department of Social Psychology, University of Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands. r.vanbaaren@psych.kun.nl
Rick B
RB
Van Baaren
Terry G
TG
Horgan
Tanya L
TL
Chartrand
Marit
M
Dijkmans
D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007100:Imitative Behavior; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior; D012931:Social Environment