Cognition And Development - Mirror Neurons Description Flashcards
What are mirror neurons ?
Neurons that fire both in response to personal action and in response to action on the part of others.
How were mirror neurons discovered
Rizzolatti et al (2002)
Studying electrical activity - monkeys motor cortex ( responisible for movement)
Researchers - reached for lunch in view of monkey
Motor cortex - activated in same as it did when animal itself reached for food
These are called mirror neurons
What did Gallese and Goldman (1998) suggest ?
Mirror neurons respond not just to observed action but to intentions behind behaviour.
Do not interpret actions with reference to memory -> imitate each others actions in motor systems
Experience their intentions using mirror neurons
What is an example of mirror neurons and the idea of intentiom
different brain areas associated with mirror neurons fire off when observing an individual pick up a cup from a table to drink from it than when they pick it up to clear it away.
Explain the procedre
23 right handed subjects watched 3 films clips of stimuli
- Context only - scenes containing objects.
- Action only- grasping hand actions without a context.
- Intention- context with an action which was either drinking or cleaning up.
observation of the same grasping action elicited the same or different activity in mirror neuron areas for grasping
What were the results of the study (lacaboni et al 2004)
Observing grasping actions embedded in contexts (the intention clips) -> greater activity in mirror neuron areas in the inferior frontal cortex (associated with grasping)
than observing actions without contexts or while observing contexts only.
What is the conclusion of iacaboni e
Premotor mirror neuron areas (areas active during the execution and the observation of an action) previously thought to be involved only in action recognition are also involved in understanding the intentions of others, which is the basis of empathy.
