The Mirror Neuron System Flashcards
What is a mirror neuron?
A neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when an animal observes the same action performed by another
What processes involve mirror neurons?
Empathy
Perspective-taking
Theory of mind
Who discovered mirror neurons?
Rizzolatti et al.
How did Rizzolatti et al. discover mirror neurons?
When studying electrical activity in monkeys
How are mirror neurons involved with intention? Who discovered this?
Mirror neurons respond to intentions behind behaviour
Gallene + Goldman
How have mirror neurons “shaped” evolution of humans? Who discovered this?
Mirror neurons have shaped evolution by allowing us to live in large, complex groups with roles and rules
Ramachandran
What is the broken mirror theory?
States that a dysfunction in the mirror neuron system prevents a child imitating and understanding social behaviour in others, therefore they experience difficulties in social communication.
What can the broken mirror theory be used to explain?
ASD
What does ASD stand for?
Autistic Spectrum Disorder
How are mirror neurons related to perspective-taking?
When mirror neurons fire in response to others actions, it may give us a neural mechanism for experiencing and understanding other people’s perspectives/emotional states
What is a strength of the mirror neuron system?
EVIDENCE
Studies have shown that areas of the brain rich in mirror neurons are activated in tasks of social cognition
e.g. shown up on fMRI scans for contagious yawning
What is a weakness of studying mirror neurons?
It is unethical to study brain activity at cellular levels, so we cannot see individual mirror neurons in action.
Lack of direct evidence, researchers are just inferring instead.
What is a weakness of the broken mirror theory?
Mixed evidence for abnormal mirror neuron function in ASD
Lack of reliability
Insufficient direct evidence to support the theory
Therefore cannot provide treatments for ASD
