Guided by Intention: Preschoolers’ Imitation Reflects Inferences of Causation Amy K. Gardiner, Marissa L. Greif, and David F. Bjorklund Florida Atlantic University Object use is a ubiquitous characteristic of the human species, and learning how objects function is a fundamental part of development. In this article, the authors examine the role that intentionality plays in children’s understand- ing of causal relationships during observational learning of object use. Chil- dren observed demonstrations in which causally irrelevant and causally relevant actions were performed to achieve a desired goal. The intentionality of these actions was manipulated using verbal markers. Irrelevant actions were performed either intentionally (‘‘There!’’) or accidentally (‘‘Whoops! I didn’t mean to do that!’’). Three-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, but not 2-year-olds, were less likely to imitate causally irrelevant actions performed accidentally than when they were performed intentionally. This suggests that older children used intentionality to guide causal inference and perceived intentional actions as causally effective and accidental actions as causally ineffective. Findings are discussed from an evolutionary perspective in relation to the cultural transmission of tool-use knowledge. Learning from others is a fundamental part of being human and acquiring the knowledge and skills of a surrounding culture. Research on social learn- ing has shown that children are exceptionally adept at garnering information from other people but has also revealed behavior that is at first glance rather peculiar. Particularly, studies on observational learning of object use have revealed a phenomenon that is ripe for explanatory Correspondence should be sent to Amy K. Gardiner, Department of Psychology, Skidmore College, 815 N. Broadway, Saratoga, Springs, NY 12866, USA. E-mail: agardine@skidmore.edu JOURNAL OF COGNITION AND DEVELOPMENT, 12(3):355–373 Copyright # 2011 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 1524-8372 print=1532-7647 online DOI: 10.1080/15248372.2010.542216 355