Mirror Neurons

What are mirror neurons?

nerve cells in brain that react when a person performs an action and when another individual performs the same action

Who discovered mirror neurons?

Ramachandran (2000)

Why does this subtopic provide objectivity?

techniques like fMRI used which means less chance of interpretation

How were mirror neurons discovered?

Rizzolatti (1996)
electrodes in monkey’s motor cortex
found when person reached for lunch, monkey’s motor cortex activated in same way as if monkey reached for food

What are the 3 main functions of mirror neuron?

Learning from others
understanding intentions of others
taking others’ perspectives

Learning from others

development of mirror neurons are crucial to evolution
facilitates understanding of others emotions, intentions

Understanding intention of others

mirror neurons give us bio mechanism to do this
rather than using memory we use motor system to understand intentions

Taking others’ perspectives

crucial to social cognition
we stimulate intention by making judgements based on our own reflected motor responses
this info allows us to interpret what others think and feel

Who discussed ASD and mirror neurons?

Ramachandran and Oberman (2006)

Ramachandran and Oberman (2006)

developed broken mirror explanation of ASD

What is the broken mirror explanation for ASD?

dysfunction in mirror system prevent developing child imitating and understanding social behaviour in others
manifests i

AO3 - supportive evidence

Haker et al (2012)
contagious yawning

Haker et al (2012)

contagious yawning
fMRI used to assess brain activity in Ps when stimulated to yawn by showing them films of others yawning
Ps showed activity in area in right frontal lobe, rich in mirror neurons

AO3 - evidence for mirror neurons with ASD

Dapretto (2006)

Dapretto (2006) - METHOD

10 kids with autism, 10 matched control
did fMRI while imitating facial expressions
either observed or were shown and asked to copy

Dapretto (2006) - FINDINGS

fMRI scans with autistic kids showed no mirror neuron activity

Dapretto conclusions

findings consistent with theory there’s a bio basis to autism