Comic # 7 - Copy Cat or Copy Dog?
Written by Cristina Byrne | Illustration by Sarah JL Mapes
Copycat.
That's a phrase we all heard of …
"Stop copying me!" "OMG, they are copying!" "Why are you copying me?"
Which usually has a negative association attached to it.
But isn't, "imitation the sincerest form of flattery…."? said the Irish poet and playwright Oscar Wilde.
So, where does the term copycat come from, and does it have anything to do with cats?
According to Merriam, Webster defines copycat as: 1: one who imitates or adopts the behavior or practices of another. 2: an imitative act or product.
The word copycat was likely first applied to criminal activity in the early 1960s. In the well-known 1961 article "Case of the Copycat Criminal," David Dressler explains that "when crime comes in waves, simple imitation (or copycat) plays a large part in the phenomenon."
According to Slate.com, "unlike monkeys and parrots, cats aren't known for imitative behavior, but the term is somewhat logical since "cat" has been an insult since the medieval period. Cats were associated with all sorts of evil and mischief." - What A Copy Cat.
I guess it all depends on who you are copycatting and what you are copycatting...
According to the Humane Society.com, "the mothers are key to having a happy, secure kitten: Well-socialized cats are more likely to have well-socialized kittens. Kittens often mirror their mothers' calm or fearful attitude toward people; this is a normal part of their socialization. But humans can play a vital role, too. By petting, talking to and playing with your new kitten can improve good people skills."
Okay, that makes sense if you think about it. Unnatural behaviors are learned, and natural ones are instinctual.
"Instinctive behaviors are innate abilities - they occur and are present from birth onward and are not learned behaviors. Reflexes are an example of instinctive behaviors. For birds, nest building, migration, and imprinting (automatically following mothers) are all instinctive behaviors." - According to Ally Dog.com.
An example of an instinctual behavior is when a cat will rub their body on furniture, leg, or visitors because a cat is instinctively territorial. An example of a learned behavior is your cat running into the kitchen whenever they hear the can opener.
I then wondered about dogs. Why not the phrase copy-dog? And do puppies imitate the behavior of their mothers? With the help of Google, "how animals survive in the wild is by observing and copying other animals. But not all animals are believed to possess this ability. From a scientific perspective, imitation requires some complex cognitive skills," says Fugazza. "It is unlikely that species that did not evolve in a very complex and rich social environment needed to evolve this ability." - Copycat Dogs: Understanding and Using Dogs' Ability to Imitate.
However, dogs can do a form of copying, thanks in part to the domestication. As Fugazza explains, they "evolved in the human environment. Research has shown that although dogs learn from us in a similar way that a child does, there are still significant differences."
A study conducted in 2016 showed that dogs don't do something human children do called "over imitation." If a child is shown how to do a puzzle box and we include an unnecessary step, the child will almost always do the unnecessary step. Dogs apparently will not. Once dogs figure out which steps are required to open the box, dogs will only perform those necessary actions.
"It's been argued that if children are going to be able to learn all of our complex cultural rituals and technology, they can't question everything they're told," says researcher Angie Johnston. "It's better just to copy."
Dogs also learn by association. If an action has a positive outcome, they repeat it; if it has a negative result, they avoid it. This process is at play, whether its taught or not.
An example of learned behavior for dogs, is training them to do things like sit, beg, and rollover. "It's rare for wild dogs to sit at all. It places them in a vulnerable position, as predators can approach them from behind without being spotted." An example of instinctual behavior is a Beagle barking at a new scent because it was bred to track and hunt. A Samoyed may dig a hole in the yard because he's trying to make a cool, comfortable bed outdoors.
When I think of the term copycat (and now copydog), I go back to where this term first appeared. We know that young children observe human family members to learn more about their environments, just like young wolf pups observe members of their packs behaving.
If we think about it, humans copycat behavior of those around them, and its what psychologist refer to as "social learning." Social learning “refers to the fact that young individuals watch the behavior of more experienced individuals (usually their mother or other older individuals in the family or social group).” Thus, they learn which behaviors are most likely be rewarding and which ones are not (just like dogs). Parents model is hugely influential to a child. So the form of copycatting starts at a young age hence why the environment is so vital to young kids' life as well as young kittens and pups.
Dr. Fugazza, summarizes, "we can train puppies from a young age by showing them what to do, like their mothers. If we want them to fetch a stick, we should fetch it first, and if a person wants them to use a new bed, they should lie down in it first."
The importance of modeling good behavior isn't only crucial for your children but your pets too!
Copycat or Copydog..? As long as its good behavior!
