mirror neurons

• what are they?

  fire in response to other peoples actions / feelings

  • yawing, pain, movement - empathy
• what do they do?

  vital in the development of modern humans

  • observational learning and empathy
• strength

  pars opercarlaris - mouras (2008)

  • ppts watch adult films
  • higher activation in PO when they were more aroused
  • important in perspective taking actions and emotions
• weakness

  to truly examine MN we must use electrodes but we can't use them on humans

  • issues with extrapolating data
  • use brains scans
• discovery of mirror neuron

  • accidental
  • mirror motor activity of another individual (e.g. yawning)
• mirror neurons and intention

  Goldman (1998)

  • Link between motor neurons and intentions of others as we simulate their actions
• mirror neurons and autsim

  • 'broken mirror neuron hypothesis' (faulty system) results in inability to understand intentions and emotions of others
  • leads to problems in social communication
• strength

  supporting evidence

  • Hacker (2012) high levels of broadmanns area (rich in neurons) when watching videos of yawning (contagious)
• strength

  support link with autism

  those with autism have a smaller pars opercularis compared to neurotypical

  • lower levels of activity in area rich with mirror neurons
• weakness

  limited application

  • animal studies implant electrodes into heads
  • not ethical and cannot be applied to humans
• mirror neurons and perspective taking


  as we can simulate others' intentions, the same info could help us interpret others' thoughts and feelings