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Mirror Neurons
Mirror Neurons and Togetherness
Togetherness is a human construct
so fundamental in its form and
function that we as a species have
specifically evolved to create and
nurture it. Much of culture is
founded upon the concept of
togetherness, built over
generations on the principles of
shared learning and the behaviors
and resources acquired from social
interaction.
Part of this adaptive process is the ‘mirror neuron system,’ which functions at a
cellular level to help us connect to one another through understanding and
empathy.
Mirror neurons help to translate what we see into usable information so that
we can relate to the world and find a functional place within it.
The Discovery of Mirror Neurons
In the 1980s a group of Italian researchers led by Giacomo Rizzolatti were testing the
ways in which neurons fired when macaque monkeys grabbed for peanuts. They placed
electrodes in the parts of the monkey's brains associated with social understanding and
responses.
One day a researcher walked into the room and picked up a peanut in front of a monkey
who was hooked up to the imaging equipment, and the exact same neuron that fired
when the monkey picked up a peanut on its own fired, and in the exact same way, when
it watched someone else pick up a peanut!
This led to the theory of
mirror neurons, and the
hypothesis that these
neurons cannot tell the
difference between an
action their own body
makes and an action they
observe someone else
making.
Where Mirror Neurons are and What They Do
Mirror neurons are on either side
of the head, in the part of the
brain that plays roles in directing
behavior, guiding and planning
movement, and interpreting the
actions of others, and
understanding and use of tools.
The job of the mirror neuron
system seems to be
understanding and empathizing
with observed behavior. This
comprehension of other people’s
actions and emotions connects
humans to each other more
deeply, since we can see what
they are doing and understand
what they are feeling.
Imitation and Learning with Mirror Neurons
Mirror neurons form the basis of a
core mechanism for learning and
growth from which other functions
branch off. One of these functions
is imitation, the ability to replicate
an observed behavior.
The mirror neuron system provides
copies of observed actions, and
interprets them so that they are
usable and can be processed for
memory storage.
Imitation learning is processed
through the part of the brain that
takes simple motor actions and
turns them into more complex skills
and habits.
Mirror Neuron Insufficiency and Language
When damage to the sections
of the brain that house the
mirror neuron system occurs,
difficulties in understanding
and communicating
successfully with others arise.
Mirror neurons are very close
to the part of the brain that
processes language and
helps to create appropriate
responses to other people's
behaviors, so when they are
missing or damaged they can
cause problems with speech
and social interaction.
Mirror Neuron Insufficiency and Autism
The absence of a healthy mirror neuron
system has also been linked to the spectrum
of neural development disorders, like
autism.
People with autism have a hard time
understanding other people's mental and
emotional states, making social interactions
difficult for them. Reduced mirror neuron
activity weakens their ability to instantly and
effortlessly experience what others are
experiencing. People with autism also tend
to have language problems, which have
been connected to a deficit in mirror
neurons.
This makes interpersonal connections
harder to achieve.
The top images show neural activity in
the right and left brain hemispheres of
children who are developing normally.
The middle images show less activity in
children with autism, while the lowest pair
show regions of mirror neurons in which
normally developing children had
significantly more activity than the
children with autism.
Images courtesy of Mirella Dapretto,
UCLA
Mirror Neuron Insufficiency and Lack of Empathy
Because of their role in
empathy, mirror neurons may
also affect a person's levels of
coldheartedness and
psychopathy.
This area of research is
vigorously debated, but
findings from several studies
suggest that a lack of 'motor
empathy' has a part to play in
abnormal social development
and psychopathy.
Mirror Neuron Differences Between Males and Females
Females frequently score higher on standard tests of empathy, social sensitivity and
emotional recognition than males do, but we are not sure whether these gender
differences are a result of neural mechanisms or social learning.
Males and females process emotions from different areas of the brain.
Females use areas of their brains containing mirror neurons more than males do
when assessing their own emotions in response to others. They show increased
activation of the part of the brain involved with language processing and response
activation and inhibition, suggesting that female emotional neural activity is verbal and
responsive in nature.
Males show increased neural activity in the part of the brain responsible for self-other
distinction processes and theory of mind, which suggests that emotional processing
for males at the neural level is more about sighting differences between the self and
others and seeking to understand them.
What Mirror Neurons Mean to You
Humans are intensely social creatures, always seeking common ground and shared
experiences. Let's face it, we invent ways to connect: hi-fives, handshakes, games,
shared meals, discovering that we both like mustard on fries or have an embarrassing
affinity for glam rock hair bands.
Mirror neurons are
incredibly valuable social
building blocks. They
allow us to learn from
others, harness our own
abilities and project them
into the world, and
interact productively and
genuinely with other
people.
Mirror neurons are an important part of our lives because built into our
architecture is the need for togetherness, and they facilitate the process of
coming together with understanding and empathy.
Citations
How Mirror Neurons Allow Us to Learn and Socialize By
Going Through the Motions In the Head by the European
Science Foundation
The Mind's Mirror by the American Psychological
Association
Lack of "Mirror Neurons" May Help Explain Autism by
Scientific American
Psychopathy and the Mirror Neuron System: Preliminary
Findings from a Non-Psychiatric Sample from US National
Library of Medicine, National Institute of Health
The Mirror Neuron Revolution: Explaining What Makes
Humans Social by Scientific American
Gender Differences in Brain Networks Supporting Empathy
Institute of Neuroscience and Biophysics, Julich, Germany