Effects of the Competence and Sex of Peer Models on Children's Imitative Behavior

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Abstract
This study of peer modeling examined the role of model competence and its relationship to the sex of the subjects and models. Primary grade children (N = 32) were significantly more likely (p < .05) to imitate the ball tossing style (overhand or underhand) of filmed peer models depicted as competent (high scoring) than of those depicted as incompetent (low scoring) regardless of the sex of the models. A marginally significant interaction (p <. .10) indicated that this difference was larger among male than among female children. A significant effect (p < .05) of the model''s prior success also appeared in a subsequent task (product selection) on which the models'' competence was not established. Interviews suggested that the aspect of competence responsible for this generalized imitation may be the models'' perceived intelligence, as the competent models were rated by the children as significantly smarter (p < .05).