The differential effectiveness of human and personified animal models in an observational learning situation

Although models in person, in books, in play therapies (e.g., dolls and puppet shows) and on film, have been widely used to teach children lessons, there is little information available about some of the important characteristics of these models. This study examined whether human and personified animal role models are differentially effective. First grade children ages 6-7 years, were recruited from the Sault Ste Marie public schools and screened to determine individual gratification patterns in making reward choices (i.e., either preference for small immediate rewards or preference for larger delayed rewards). Eighty of the 91 children screened made immediate reward choices and were selected for random assignment to one of four treatment groups. In each treatment condition participants heard a story in which either a human child or a personified bear made a delayed gratification reward choice. Participants were then asked to choose either a small immediate reward or a larger delayed reward. Most of the children who had heard a story in which a human child had delayed gratification also made delayed gratification choices. Most of the children who heard a story in which a personified bear had delayed gratification, chose small immediate rewards. Human models were very effective at eliciting imitation from children, whereas personified animal models were not.