The Relationship between Mimic Behavior, Personal Engagment and Anxiety

Indianapolis, IN

This study examines the relationship between anxiety, interpersonal engagement and mimicking behavior. Chartand and Bargh (1999) used the term "chameleon effect" to describe when individuals unconsciously change their physical mannerisms to match others in their environment. Later studies found that people with high anxiety exhibited far less unintentional mimicking behavior in interactions with a signal individual (Vrijen, Lange, Becker, Rinck, 2010). In this study participants were randomly assigned to one of two conditions. In one, participants watched a classroom lecture in which the teacher presented the material in a factual manner. In the other condition, the teacher presented material on the same topic in a more dynamic manner. In both cases, the researcher identified whether the participants mimicked certain specific target behavior that were the same for both groups. Afterwards, participants were given the Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. It is expected that individuals in the more engaging presentation will mimic more than those in the fact-based presentation. In addition, individuals who are more anxious during the lecture will mimic less than those individuals who are more comfortable.