Editing Observational learning (section)

===Age difference===
[[Albert Bandura]] stressed that developing children learn from different social models, meaning that no two children are exposed to exactly the same modeling influence. From [[infancy]] to [[adolescence]], they are exposed to various social models. A 2013 study found that a toddlers' previous social familiarity with a model was not always necessary for learning and that they were also able to learn from observing a stranger demonstrating or modeling a new action to another stranger.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Shimpi | first1 = Priya M. | last2 = Akhtar | first2 = Nameera | last3 = Moore | first3 = Chris | year = 2013 | title = Toddlers' Imitative Learning in Interactive and Observational Contexts: The Role of Age and Familiarity of the Model | journal = Journal of Experimental Child Psychology | volume = 116 | issue = 2| pages = 309–23 | doi=10.1016/j.jecp.2013.06.008| pmid = 23896415 | doi-access = free }}</ref>

It was once believed that babies could not imitate actions until the latter half of the first year. However, a number of studies now report that infants as young as seven days can imitate simple facial expressions. By the latter half of their first year, 9-month-old babies can imitate actions hours after they first see them. As they continue to develop, toddlers around age two can acquire important personal and [[social skills]] by imitating a social model.

[[Imitation|Deferred imitation]] is an important developmental milestone in a two-year-old, in which children not only construct symbolic representations but can also remember information.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Meltzoff | first1 = A | year = 1988 | title = Infants imitation after 1-week delay: Long -Term memory for novel acts and multiple stimuli | journal = Developmental Psychology | volume = 24 | issue = 4| pages = 470–476 | doi=10.1037/0012-1649.24.4.470 | pmid=25147404 | pmc=4137879}}</ref> Unlike toddlers, children of [[elementary school]] age are less likely to rely on imagination to represent an experience. Instead, they can verbally describe the model's behavior.<ref>Bandura, A. (1989). Social Cognitive Theory. In R. Vasta (ED.), Annals of Child Development: Vol. 6. Theories of child development: Revised formulation and current issue (pp.1-60). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press</ref> Since this form of learning does not need reinforcement, it is more likely to occur regularly.

As age increases, age-related observational learning motor skills may decrease in athletes and golfers.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Law | first1 = Barbi | last2 = Hall | first2 = Craig | s2cid = 24462098 | year = 2009 | title = The Relationships Among Skill Level, Age, and Golfers' Observational Learning Use | journal = The Sport Psychologist | volume = 23 | issue = 1| page = 42 | doi = 10.1123/tsp.23.1.42 }}</ref> Younger and skilled golfers have higher observational learning compared to older golfers and less skilled golfers.