Malinda Carpenter

Papers

Total Citations

159

H-Index

About

Malinda Carpenter is a leading developmental psychologist whose research has fundamentally shaped our understanding of social cognition, imitation, and the origins of human culture. Her work centers on how children and other social agents infer the goals and intentions behind actions—a process she has shown is critical for selective, rational imitation. In her highly influential work on the “what to imitate” problem, Carpenter demonstrated that even young children do not simply copy actions; they interpret the demonstrator’s intentions, a finding that has profoundly impacted both developmental psychology and social robotics. Her seminal contributions, including her highly cited 2007 work on imitation and social learning across humans, animals, and robots (over 130 citations), have bridged disciplines, offering a framework for understanding the mechanisms of social intelligence. Carpenter’s research has been instrumental in establishing that the drive to share intentions and experiences—what she terms “shared intentionality”—is a uniquely human hallmark, setting the stage for cumulative culture. Her work remains essential reading for anyone studying the cognitive foundations of social learning and cooperation.