During the 2016 presidential campaign, immigration became a major national issue. President Trump's executive order that places travel restrictions on citizens and refugees from six predominantly Muslim countries and that bans their entrance into the United States has resulted in nationwide protests and questions regarding the constitutionality of…

We first review the mirror-system hypothesis on the evolution of the language-ready brain, stressing the important role of imitation and protosign in providing the scaffolding for protospeech. We then assess the role of social interaction and non-specific knowledge of language in the emergence of new sign languages in deaf communities (focusing on…

Comments on the article by Parker in this issue. Reviews Parker's discussion of imitation and circular reactions, and discusses the application of Darwin's ideas about evolution to the study of the development of individuals' awareness of the world and the mind. Considers the role of blind trial and error and of selection in evolution. (BC)

Elaborates some of the ideas of Baldwin and Piaget concerning the self-teaching functions of circular reactions, or self-induced repetition of particular schemes, and imitation. Argues that these functions are means for cognitive constructions. Discusses the evolution of imitation and circular reactions in primates. (BC)

Discusses the role of play in development from both cultural-evolutionary and ontogenetic-historical perspectives. These perspectives illuminate how play and imitation are important for the developing individual who is seen as influencing a changing cultural environment. (Author/RH)

This paper provides evidence for imitative abilities in neonatal chimpanzees ("Pan troglodytes"), our closest relatives. Two chimpanzees were reared from birth by their biological mothers. At less than 7 days of age the chimpanzees could discriminate between, and imitate, human facial gestures (tongue protrusion and mouth opening). By the time…

From earliest infancy, a typically developing child imitates or mirrors the facial expressions, postures and gestures, and emotional behavior of others. Where does this capacity come from, and what function does it serve? What happens when imitation is impaired? Synthesizing cutting-edge research emerging from a range of disciplines, this…