Research has shown that mimicking someone is a way for solicitors to be perceived more positively and
to increase compliance with a helping request. The effect of mimicking on children and on compliance
with a request for change in food consumption, however, has never been examined. Nine- and
11-year-old children (N = 57) were either mimicked or not by an instructor at the beginning of an
interaction. Then, the children were asked to eat a piece of fruit in their afternoon snack for at least
1 week and to try not to eat candy or drink soda for at least 1 week. The results show that children
who were mimicked by the instructor consumed more fruit in their afternoon snack and they did so
for a longer period of time. Children who were mimicked also asked their parents to buy fruit, and they
wanted to continue eating fruit in their afternoon snack. These changes in their fruit consumption were
confirmed by their mother (N = 25). These results suggest that mimicry can influence child behavior and
could be used to promote changes in eating behavior.