The Role of Mirror Neurons in Social Cognition

Question 1

What are Mirror Neurons?

Answer 1

Neurons that mirror the neural activity of another individual by firing both when you perform a task and when you observe someone else performing a task

Question 2

Who discovered Mirror Neurons?

Answer 2

Rizzolatti et al, whilst studying monkeys

Question 3

Why has Mirror Neurons as an explanation of Social Cognition been criticised?

Answer 3

It’s biologically reductionistic

Question 4

Who suggested Mirror Neurons are essential to Social Cognition?

Answer 4

Gallese & Goldman

Question 5

What other theory have Mirror Neurons been linked to?

Answer 5

Theory of Mind

Question 6

What do Mirror Neurons allow us to do in terms of Social Cognition?

Answer 6

They provide us with a neural mechanism for experiencing and therefore understanding other people’s perspectives, emotion and intentions, therefore helping us to ‘mind-read’

Question 7

How are Mirror Neurons distributed in the brain?

Answer 7

More richly in some areas than others

Question 8

How have Mirror Neurons been linked to evolution?

Answer 8

• Ramachandran suggested mirror neurons are key to understanding how humans have developed as a social species
• He argued they have shaped human evolution by providing us with the ability to navigate a socially complex world (e.g. complex social roles and unspoken socially accepted rules)

Question 9

What evidence supports Mirror Neurons?
Hint: Sleep

Answer 9

• Helene Haker et al, who investigated the idea of contagious yawning by using fMRI’s to scan the brains of participants whilst they watched a film of people yawning
• Found that activity levels in areas of the brain believed to be rich in mirror neuron’s increased when participants yawned in response
• One such area included Broadmann’s Area 9, which is a region of the prefrontal cortex

Question 10

What evidence supports Mirror Neurons?
Hint: Boner

Answer 10

• Mouras et al, who scanned the brains of 8 male participants using fMRI’s whilst they watched an erotic video
• Found that mirror neuron’s fired just before they got an erection

Question 11

Why is it difficult to study Mirror Neurons

Answer 11

It is difficult to isolate mirror neurons due to ethical issues, as it involves the implanting of electrodes

Question 12

Can cause-and-effect be established in terms of Mirror Neurons?

Answer 12

No- most evidence is correlational and causality can’t be inferred from it

Question 13

What are 3 areas of the brain that have been found to be rich in Mirror Neurons?

Answer 13

• The Premotor Cortex
• The Supplementary Motor Area
• The Primary Somatosensory Cortex