Imitation and Mirror Neurons Flashcards
True or False?
Humans have an extensive
repertoire of body movements - Hands, face, legs, gesture, mouth
True
Intuitively we know we have
the capacity to ___ and ___ other peoples actions
Recognise and imitate
e.g. You might find it more useful to receive a demonstration from a swimming instructor than to receive verbal instruction of how to do the action
What does this suggest about humans?
They have the capacity to recognise and imitate other peoples actions
How can we produce a copy of an action?
We can seamlessly map visual representations
of actions onto our motor systems (crossmodal
transfer)
We can seamlessly map visual representations
of actions onto our motor systems (crossmodal
transfer) to produce…?
A copy of the action
Define perception-action mapping
Mapping visual representations of actions onto our motor systems (crossmodal transfer) to produce a copy of the action
Mapping visual representations of actions onto our motor systems (crossmodal transfer) to produce a copy of the action
This is known as…?
Perception-action mapping
e.g. seeing someone smiling would also make you spontaneously smile = triggers the action without you thinking about it
This is an example of…?
Perception-action mapping
Who, unlike other species, is particularly good at perception-action mapping and imitating?
Humans
Humans (unlike other species) are very good at imitation, so good some investigators think this ability is …?
Innate
List 2 developmental evidence for perception-action mapping
- Infants can imitate caregiver’s facial expressions, hand and mouth movements, head turns, etc
- Babies must build up a
representation of the visual
image of the caregiver’s
face/mouth and map this onto their own motor representation of the movement
Infants can imitate caregiver’s …?
List 3 points
- Facial expressions
- Hand and mouth movements
- Head turns
How do babies imitate the actions of their caregiver?
Babies must build up a
representation of the visual
image of the caregiver’s
face/mouth and map this onto their own motor representation of the movement
Babies must build up a
representation of the visual
image of the caregiver’s
face/mouth and map this onto their own motor representation of the movement
This is known as…?
Perception-action mapping
Infants can imitate caregiver’s facial expressions, hand and mouth movements, head turns, etc
This is developmental evidence supporting…?
Perception-action mapping
Define crossmodal transfer
The experience and knowledge gained through one sensory mode enabling you to perform a similar task using a different sensory mode
e.g. Visual representation of someone smiling is mapped onto our motor systems to produce a copy of the smiling action
The experience and knowledge gained through one sensory mode enabling you to perform a similar task using a different sensory mode
e.g. Visual representation of someone smiling is mapped onto our motor systems to produce a copy of the smiling action
This is known as…?
Crossmodal transfer
Piaget thought the ability of imitation and perception-action mapping occurred no earlier than …?
1 year old
What did Meltzoff and Moore (1977) find about facial imitation in babies?
List 2 points
- Babies aged 12 – 21 days
could imitate certain facial
expressions - They imitate specific acts (i.e., lip protrusion vs. tongue
protrusion) not just whole
body parts even after a delay
Babies aged _____ could imitate certain facial expressions
12 – 21 days
Babies aged 12 – 21 days
could imitate …?
Certain facial expressions
Babies imitate specific acts
such as…?
Lip protrusion vs. tongue
protrusion (sticking tongue out)
True or False?
Babies only imitate whole body parts, even after a delay
Babies imitate specific acts, not just whole body parts, even after a delay
What is the main critique of Meltzoff and Moore’s (1977) study on imitation in babies?
There was not much choice of behaviour for the babies to make upon observing the model’s behaviour
What are the 4 evidence against neonate imitation (imitation may not be as clear cut as we thought) proposed by Oostenbroek et al. (2016)?
- Longitudinal study - 1, 3, 6,
and 9 weeks - Large number of alternative control model behaviours
- Matching to the model’s actions was better than chance compared to some control behaviours but not others
- Behaviour matching model more likely compared to some but not other control behaviours
- Tongue protrusion may be
elicited by observing faces
When does true imitation emerge, according to Oostenbroek et al. (2016)?
6-9 months
When does true imitation emerge, according to Piaget?
6-9 months
True imitation may emerge
later (6-9 months) as
proposed by Piaget
What does this suggest about imitation in babies?
Seeing a face makes the baby want to stick their tongue out, which leads to learning, but it can’t yet be described as accurate/true imitation
What does Active Intermodal Matching (AIM) suggest about imitation in babies?
Suggests that newborns/neonates recognise equivalences between body transformations they see and those of their own body that they ‘feel’ themselves make and learn to match them together
Suggests that newborns/neonates recognise equivalences between body transformations they see and those of their own body that they ‘feel’ themselves make and learn to match them together
Baby’s emotional expressions induce adults to produce similar expressions, which provides the infant with a visual input to match his motor output
This is known as…?
Active Intermodal Matching
(AIM)
Define Active Intermodal Matching (AIM)
- Neonates recognise equivalences between body transformations they see and those of their own body that they ‘feel’ themselves make and learn to match them together
- Baby’s emotional expressions induce adults to produce similar expressions, which provides the infant with a visual input to match his motor output
List the 6 steps to Active Intermodal Matching
(AIM)
- Visual Perception of Target Adult Facial Acts
e.g. they see the adult sticking their tongue out
- Supramodal Representation of Acts
- Equivalence Detector
- Infant Motor Acts
e.g. they make the same action themselves
- Proprioceptive Information
e.g. they get a proprioceptive info, feeling from the muscles
- Equivalence Detector 2
e.g. they learn to match with the visual image of someone doing the same thing
Arrange the steps to Active Intermodal Matching (AIM) in the correct order
Infant Motor Acts
Supramodal Representation of Acts
Equivalence Detector 2
Proprioceptive Information
Equivalence Detector
Visual Perception of Target Adult Facial Acts
- Visual Perception of Target Adult Facial Acts
- Supramodal Representation of Acts
- Equivalence Detector
- Infant Motor Acts
- Proprioceptive Information
- Equivalence Detector 2
What 2 things does Active Intermodal Matching
(AIM) involve?
- Perception and action having independent
coding/representation - A “specialist” module for imitation
simply = imitation is innate and we are born with it
What do specialists believe about imitation?
Imitation is innate and we are born with it
What do generalists believe about imitation?
We learn lots of rules in terms of combining different sensory and motor outputs, not just for imitation
What do other imitation theories, such as Ideomotor (IM) and Associative Sequence Learning (ASL) involve?
List 2 points
- Common coding for perception and action
- Imitation part of “generalist” processes for
motor control and learning
Involves:
A “specialist” module for imitation
a. Associative Sequence Learning (ASL)
b. Active Intermodal Matching (AIM)
c. Ideomotor (IM)
b. Active Intermodal Matching (AIM)
Involves:
Common coding for perception and action
a. Associative Sequence Learning (ASL)
b. Active Intermodal Matching (AIM)
c. Ideomotor (IM)
a. Associative Sequence Learning (ASL)
c. Ideomotor (IM)
Involves:
Imitation is part of “generalist” processes for
motor control and learning
a. Associative Sequence Learning (ASL)
b. Active Intermodal Matching (AIM)
c. Ideomotor (IM)
a. Associative Sequence Learning (ASL)
c. Ideomotor (IM)
Involves:
Perception and action having independent
coding/representation
a. Associative Sequence Learning (ASL)
b. Active Intermodal Matching (AIM)
c. Ideomotor (IM)
b. Active Intermodal Matching (AIM)
Describe the Ideomotor (IM) theory of imitation
List 4 points
- Ps are presented with a stimulus (e.g. a finger moving)
- Ps experience sensory (visual) representation of the action
- This leads to a motor representation
- Motor representation is then turned into a motor program, where commands go out towards the muscles
Arrange the stages of Ideomotor (IM) theory of imitation in order
This leads to a motor representation
Ps experience sensory (visual) representation of the action
Motor representation is then turned into a motor program, where commands go out towards the muscles
Ps are presented with a stimulus (e.g. a finger moving)
- Ps are presented with a stimulus (e.g. a finger moving)
- Ps experience sensory (visual) representation of the action
- This leads to a motor representation
- Motor representation is then turned into a motor program, where commands go out towards the muscles
Describe the Associative Sequence Learning (ASL) theory of imitation
Emphasises learning through experience
e.g. see consequence of own hand action
If you see an action that doesn’t match what you are trying to do, it can slow you down
e.g. if you see someone frowning, it is more difficult for you to smile because you are primed to imitate their action
This is known as…?
Associative Sequence Learning (ASL) theory of imitation
Emphasises learning through experience
e.g. see consequence of own hand action
This is known as…?
Associative Sequence Learning (ASL) theory of imitation
What are the 5 steps to the dual route model of imitation?
- Input action
- Visual analysis
If you see an action that has a particular meaning to you, you might already have your own way of performing that action (semantic, drawing from LTM)
If you see a gesture you have not done before or if it is a meaningless action, you might pay very close attention to exactly how others perform that action to copy them exactly (directory/visuomotor)
- Long-term semantic memory
- ST/WM
- Output action
According to the dual route model of imitation, what is the semantic route?
Meaningful actions,
stored in repetoire (LTM)
simply = If you see an action that has a particular meaning to you, you might already have your own way of performing that action
According to the dual route model of imitation, what is the visuomotor/direct route?
Meaningless actions –
mirror neurones
simply = If you see a gesture you have not done before or if it is a meaningless action, you might pay very close attention to exactly how others perform that action to copy them exactly
According to the dual route model of imitation, which route involves meaningful actions?
a. Semantic
b. Visuomotor/direct
a. Semantic
According to the dual route model of imitation, which route involves meaningless actions?
a. Semantic
b. Visuomotor/direct
b. Visuomotor/direct
According to the dual route model of imitation, which route involves information stored in repetoire/LTM?
a. Semantic
b. Visuomotor/direct
a. Semantic
According to the dual route model of imitation, which route involves mirror neurones?
a. Semantic
b. Visuomotor/direct
b. Visuomotor/direct
According to the dual route model of imitation, which route does this apply to?
If you see an action that has a particular meaning to you, you might already have your own way of performing that action
a. Semantic
b. Visuomotor/direct
a. Semantic
According to the dual route model of imitation, which route does this apply to?
If you see a gesture you have not done before or if it is a meaningless action, you might pay very close attention to exactly how others perform that action to copy them exactly
a. Semantic
b. Visuomotor/direct
b. Visuomotor/direct
What are mirror neurones?
Neurones that respond to actions that we observe in others
Neurones that respond to actions that we observe in others
This is known as…?
Mirror neurones
Which of these statements about mirror neurones is true?
a. Same neurones were found to be active when the
monkey watched an action but not when performing it
b. Same neurones were found to be active when the
monkey performed an action but not when watching it
c. Different neurones were found to be active when the
monkey performed and watched an action
d. Same neurones were found to be active when the
monkey performed and watched an action
d. Same neurones were found to be active when the
monkey performed and watched an action
What are the general properties of mirror neurones?
List 2 points
- They are bimodal, visuo-motor neurons (i.e., respond
to both visual and
motor stimuli) - They are discharged when
the individual performs an action and when they observe the same action performed by another individual
What is a bimodal, visuo-motor neuron?
A neuron that responds to both visual and motor stimuli
An individual neuron that is excited by seeing and performing the action
This is known as…?
Mirror neuron
What are the findings that support the existence of mirror neurones in understanding actions?
List 2
- Umiltà et al. (2001): Mirror
neurons are active during
observation of partially hidden actions (predicts action outcome even in absence of complete visual information) - Kohler et al. (2002): Audio-
visual mirror neurons respond to the sound typically produced by the action
Neurones began firing as soon as they heard the sound of peanuts being snapped, even though the monkey couldn’t see the peanut physically
True or False?
Mirror neurons are not active during observation of partially hidden actions
False
Mirror neurons are active during observation of partially hidden actions
Mirror neurons are active during observation of partially hidden actions
What does this mean?
Mirror neurons are able to predict the action outcome even in absence of complete visual information
_____ are able to predict the action outcome even in absence of complete visual information
Mirror neurones
Audio-visual mirror neurons respond to the sound typically produced by the action
Describe the study on this by Kohler et al. (2002)
List 3 points
- Monkeys were presented with visual representation (view of the peanut) and/or audio representation (sound of peanut breaking
- Their audio-visual mirror neuron activities were recorded when the monkey receives visual only, audio only, both visual and audio representations
- Neuron is excited the most when both audio and visual representations were presented at the same time
- Monkeys were presented with visual representation (view of the peanut) and/or audio representation (sound of peanut breaking
- Their audio-visual mirror neuron activities were recorded when the monkey receives visual only, audio only, both visual and audio representations
- Neuron is excited the most when both audio and visual representations were presented at the same time
What does this evidence support?
Audio- visual mirror neurons respond to the sound typically produced by the action
If the food was behind a screen and the monkey would see the experimenter reaching out for it, they would know there was a piece of food behind there
Mirror neurones were excited even just by observing partly hidden object
What does this suggest?
Mirror neurones predicts action outcome even in absence of complete visual information
Suggests a higher level of representation of the action
Which area in the brain are motor neurones found in monkeys?
List 2 points
- Area F5 of the premotor cortex
- Inferior parietal lobe
Which area in the brain are motor neurones found in humans?
List 4 points
- Human homologue in
Broca’s area (BA44) - Ventral inferior frontal
gyrus (BA6) - Posterior parietal lobe
- Superior temporal lobe
Area important for language in the brain
Human homologue in Broca’s area (BA44)
Mirror neurones in the brain are somatotopically
organised
What does this mean?
They are mapped out according to the different body parts
In monkeys, area F5 of the premotor cortex contains 3 types of neurons
What are they?
- Mirror neurons
- Motor neurons
- Canonical visuomotor neurons
Action observation-related visuomotor neurons
a. Canonical visuomotor neurons
b. Mirror neurons
c. Motor neurons
b. Mirror neurons
Object observation-related
neurons
a. Canonical visuomotor neurons
b. Mirror neurons
c. Motor neurons
a. Canonical visuomotor neurons
Neurons only concerned with the monkey making its own movements
a. Canonical visuomotor neurons
b. Mirror neurons
c. Motor neurons
c. Motor neurons
- Mirror neurons
- Motor neurons
- Canonical visuomotor neurons
Where are these neurons found in monkeys?
Area F5 of the premotor cortex
What are the 4 types of indirect evidence of Human Mirror Neurones?
- Close link between perception and action
- Behavioural
- Brain Imaging (fMRI)
- Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
What can be used as direct evidence of Human Mirror Neurones?
Recording from neurones
Is this direct or indirect evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Behavioural
a. Indirect evidence
b. Direct evidence
a. Indirect evidence
Is this direct or indirect evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Brain Imaging (fMRI)
a. Indirect evidence
b. Direct evidence
a. Indirect evidence
Is this direct or indirect evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Recording from neurones
a. Indirect evidence
b. Direct evidence
b. Direct evidence
Is this direct or indirect evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Close link between perception and action
a. Indirect evidence
b. Direct evidence
a. Indirect evidence
Is this direct or indirect evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
a. Indirect evidence
b. Direct evidence
a. Indirect evidence
What is the behavioural evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Faster responses when there is compatibility between
observed and executed movements (Brass et al,
2000, 2001)
This is known as ‘automatic imitation’ – lab analogue of
mimicry
Simply = Even though we are not trying to copy, we have an automatic tendency to imitate
Describe the study presenting behavioural evidence for Human Mirror Neurones
List 2 points
- Ps observed upward movement of a finger
- When asked to lift up their own finger, they were faster to lift the finger up and slower to press their finger down
- Ps observed upward movement of a finger
- When asked to lift up their own finger, they were faster to lift the finger up and slower to press their finger down
What does this phenomenon demonstrate?
Automatic imitation
simply = Even though we are not trying to copy, we have an automatic tendency to imitate
Faster responses when compatibility between
observed and executed movements (automatic imitation)
What evidence of Human Mirror neurones does this finding apply to?
a. Close link between perception and action
b. Behavioural
c. Brain Imaging (fMRI)
d. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
b. Behavioural
What is the brain imaging (fMRI) evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
List 2 points
- Somatotopic activation of pre-motor and parietal cortex
- Areas correspond to
observations of actions of
different body parts
Why is brain imaging (fMRI) an indirect evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Motor planning area is activated by seeing someone else moving but it does not necessarily show it’s the identical neurone that are responding to the actions (indirect evidence)
Somatotopic activation of pre-motor and parietal cortex. Areas correspond to
observations of actions of
different body parts
What evidence of Human Mirror neurones does this finding apply to?
a. Close link between perception and action
b. Behavioural
c. Brain Imaging (fMRI)
d. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
c. Brain Imaging (fMRI)
What is the link/overlap between perception and action evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
List 3 points
- Motor imagery – imagined movement without action
- Overlap in brain activity between imagined, observed
and executed movements - Meta-analysis across studies
Motor imagery – imagined movement without action
What evidence of Human Mirror neurones does this finding apply to?
a. Close link between perception and action
b. Behavioural
c. Brain Imaging (fMRI)
d. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
a. Close link between perception and action
Overlap in brain activity between imagined, observed and executed movements
What evidence of Human Mirror neurones does this finding apply to?
a. Close link between perception and action
b. Behavioural
c. Brain Imaging (fMRI)
d. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
a. Close link between perception and action
What is motor imagery?
Imagining movement
without action
True or False?
There is no overlap in brain
activity between imagined, observed and executed
movements
False
There is overlap in brain
activity between imagined, observed and executed movements
What is the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
Use motor evoked potentials to show that observing an
action produces increased motor excitability
Simply = The person’s own motor system was responding when they saw someone else moving
Use motor evoked potentials to show that observing an action produces increased motor excitability
Simply = The person’s own motor system was responding when they saw someone else moving
What evidence of Human Mirror neurones does this finding apply to?
a. Close link between perception and action
b. Behavioural
c. Brain Imaging (fMRI)
d. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
d. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Why is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) not a direct evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
It is not a recording from identical neurons during observation and execution of actions
What is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)?
Stimulate surface of the brain using a magnetic coil
What is the direct recording evidence for Human Mirror Neurones?
List 3 points
- Recorded from 1177 neurons in 21 patients undergoing surgery for intractable epilepsy
- They observed and executed grasping actions and facial gestures
- Action observation-related (‘mirror’) neurons found in medial frontal lobe (supplementary motor area; SMA) and medial temporal lobe (hippocampus)
Based on direct recording, where are mirror neurons found in the brain?
List 2 areas
- Medial frontal lobe (supplementary motor area; SMA)
- Medial temporal lobe (hippocampus)
Action observation-related (‘mirror’) neurons found in medial frontal lobe (supplementary motor area; SMA) and medial temporal lobe (hippocampus)
What evidence of Human Mirror neurones does this finding apply to?
a. Close link between perception and action
b. Direct recording
c. Brain Imaging (fMRI)
d. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
b. Direct recording
When do Human Mirror Neurones respond with excitation?
It varies
Some cells respond with excitation during action execution, some during action observation, and others respond with inhibition
What are some similarities across humans, monkeys and dog in terms of mirror neurons?
Same areas in the brain are activated to movements common to all three species i.e., biting
What are some similarities across humans and monkeys but not dog in terms of mirror neurons?
Speech and lip-smacking actions activate the same area in human and monkey brains but dog barking does not
True or False?
Same areas in the brain are activated to movements common to only humans and monkeys i.e., biting
False
Same areas in the brain are activated to movements common to humans, monkeys and dogs i.e., biting
____ and ____ actions activate the same area in human and monkey brains but dog barking does not
Speech and lip-smacking
True or False?
Speech and lip-smacking actions activate the same area in human, monkey and dogs
False
Speech and lip-smacking actions activate the same area in human and monkey brains but dog barking does not
What are species-specific actions in humans?
List 2
- Action does not need to be goal-directed or contain an object
- Meaningless movements are represented
What are species-specific actions in monkeys?
List 3
- Action must be goal-directed (often involve actual object)
- They cannot learn novel and complex acts (involve BA46 not present in monkey) – THEY DON’T IMITATE
- Rather than for imitation mirror neurones may underpin understanding intentions
They cannot learn novel and complex acts – THEY DON’T IMITATE
a. Only specific to humans
b. Both specific to humans and monkeys
c. Only specific to monkeys
d. Only specific to dogs
c. Only specific to monkeys
Meaningless movements are represented
a. Only specific to humans
b. Both specific to humans and monkeys
c. Only specific to monkeys
d. Only specific to dogs
a. Only specific to humans
Action does not need to be goal-directed or contain an object
a. Only specific to humans
b. Both specific to humans and monkeys
c. Only specific to monkeys
d. Only specific to dogs
a. Only specific to humans
Rather than for imitation mirror neurones may underpin understanding intentions
a. Only specific to humans
b. Both specific to humans and monkeys
c. Only specific to monkeys
d. Only specific to dogs
c. Only specific to monkeys
Action must be goal-directed (often involve actual object)
a. Only specific to humans
b. Both specific to humans and monkeys
c. Only specific to monkeys
d. Only specific to dogs
c. Only specific to monkeys
Why can’t monkeys learn novel and complex acts?
Because this involves BA46, which is not present in monkeys
Monkeys can’t learn novel and complex acts because they do not have BA46 required for this task
What does this suggest?
They do not imitate
Rather than for imitation, what is the role of mirror neurones in moneys?
They underpin understanding intentions
