by Suzanne Zeedyk
Within minutes of birth, babies can imitate their parents' facial expressions. If you stick out your tongue at a newborn infant, they will respond by sticking out their own tongue.
Now, researchers in the Department of Psychology are pioneering the theory that these imitation processes could hold the key to reaching out to those whose communication skills are impaired, such as those who are deaf blind, autistic or suffering from Alzheimers.
The department has teamed up with the University of Bergen, Norway - one of the world's leaders in imitation research - to explore the potential that imitation holds for helping people with impaired communicative abilities. The first symposium ever to take place with the aim of shedding light on this possibility took place in April at the University of Dundee. Dr Suzanne Zeedyk from the Psychology Department said, "It has been known for some time that imitation occurs spontaneously in the early interactions of parents and infants and research now suggests that complex forms of imitation and turn-taking are fundamental to all types of human communicative exchange.
"The aim of this symposium is to explore the potential that this insight offers into improving the skills of individuals whose communicative abilities are impaired or challenged. To give one example, people with some kinds of impairments can live much of their lives without ever experiencing successful communication with another person, so the potential of further research in this field is undoubtedly great, especially when carried out in partnership by these two specialist teams."
The two-day symposium featured a programme of lectures focussing on different aspects of this research. Professor Mikael Heinman, director of the Norwegian team gave a public lecture on the topic of infant imitation and communication on 24 April.