Mirror Neurons: How Do Others Influence Our Lives?
Do you feel like you predict the attitude of others? Do you think you are influenced by what those around you do? Mirror neurons are a phenomenon that can explain all these psychological facts
Have you ever had the sensation of feeling what another person was doing? This empathic sensation that we feel when we see others doing an action could have a psychological explanation through the mirror neurons But what are mirror neurons and how does it affect our perception?
Sometimes we think we can “read” the minds of others since we capture through empathy what that person may be feeling. According to the neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti mirror neurons could help us explain precisely these thoughts to the attitude or actions of others.
Since the experiments that demonstrated how mirror neurons work, many have used them to highlight the role of language and empathy of human beings. This is because according to the studies carried out in order to investigate this phenomenon, it was extrapolated that these neurons were a mirror of human empathy.
Who discovered mirror neurons?
The origin of this term was the neuroscientists Vittorio Gallese together with Giacomo Rizzolartti who, through a study carried out together with his team at the University of Parma, identified how mirror neurons work They found these types of neurons in the frontal lobes of the brain along with other motor neurons, which are responsible for activating a part of the body to perform an action.
The discovery of mirror neurons in the brain occurred in research involving macaques. The doctors discovered that when these apes saw others of their species doing certain actions, one of the types of neuron of the premotor cortex area of our brain.
Seeing this interaction between the monkeys, the researchers wanted to check their reaction to various objects and actions that others did. To do this, they used electrodes to record the neuron activity from that part of your brain.
Quickly, it was observed that when one monkey did a certain action and the other saw it, a group of neurons in the motor part was activated even though the macaque was not performing any action. Furthermore, it was seen that only these neurons They were triggered when performing a certain action.
How do mirror neurons work?
Through these investigations, what was called mirror neurons These mirror neurons activate when I observe another person performing a certain action. When I am in this situation, these neurons can perform a simulation of what will happen in your mind, trying to visualize the intention of others in any social interaction.
In this way, many psychologists and neurologists point to these empathy mirror neurons as a basis for many of our actions in our social sphere. Despite this, this phenomenon still needs to be investigated very well to draw clearer conclusions.
Characteristics of mirror neurons
To come to understand how mirror neurons work We can extract a series of characteristics that will help you understand this phenomenon of our mind.
1. Mirror neurons and empathy
It is very likely that the mirror neurons are involved in our empathic abilities. This is because through these types of neurons people try to put themselves in the shoes of others in an imaginary way, experiencing the degree of pain or satisfaction of others.
Research has also shown that mirror neurons are involved in the learning process. So much so that various studies have shown that perhaps mirror neurons and autism are quite related. In these investigations, the authors stated that mirror neuron dysfunction may be involved in the development of autism.
3. Interaction with parents influences their development
According to the researchers, this mirror effect of neurons It is learned through communication between parents and their children, as well as in the development of social expressiveness in the first two months of life. Therefore, they have a great role in the emotional development of people.
4. They are activated when someone performs an action
The mirror neurons They are triggered not when we perform an act but when we observe others doing an action. So much so that they help us understand the intentions and emotions of those around us. In many cases, mirror neurons are what make us yawn when we see that a person does it too.
5. They are an involuntary and automatic mechanism
According to research by Giacomo Rizzolati, as well as those made after their discovery, mirror neurons are a reflex act of our brain. This way, we don’t have to think about what they are doing or feeling but we simply know.
“We seem to be programmed to see other people as similar to us, rather than different”
Gallese.
How can we take advantage of mirror neurons?
These neurons are not a simple mirror effect of human psychology. But this type of mental processing can be used to our advantage to improve our lives. According to psychologists, we can use them in the following aspects.
Spread happiness
There are various studies that show that happiness is much more contagious than sadness. So mirror neurons can help us be more positive in our lives. In this way, you can surround yourself with people who are more genuine, play music that gives you energy and frequently listen to positive messages to be able to enjoy this characteristic of the mirror neuron
Copy the attitude of positive people
By being with positive people you can learn a lot from them through the mirror neurons and empathy associated with them. Try to replicate the attitude of someone who is continually smiling and happy and you will see how you end up feeling grateful at any moment.
Analyze your emotional states
Sometimes some events around us can affect us more than we would like. In many cases, the mirror neurons have been the cause of it. For this reason, it is necessary to try to learn to analyze our emotional states and rationalize why we feel this way.
People who suffer from hypersensitivity or who are more sensitive than others should learn to control the effects that these can have. types of neuron Therefore, it can always be a good alternative to try to inspect our emotions with the help of a professional psychologist.
The mirror neurons They are vital to learning to live with others. But at the same time these can be a double-edged sword that prevents us from enjoying various aspects of our lives. The secret to benefiting from this mirror effect lies precisely in our self-knowledge.
