mirror neurons

Question 1

mirror neurons

Answer 1

special brain cells that fire both in response to personal action and action on the part of others

Question 2

mirror neurons and intention

Answer 2

mirror neurons respond to intentions not just to observed actions

Question 3

mirror neurons and perspective-taking

Answer 3

if mirror neurons fire in response to others’ intentions this may give us a neural mechanism for experiencing and hence understanding other people’s perspectives and emotional states

Question 4

mirror neurons and human evolution

Answer 4

the uniquely complex social interactions we have as humans require a brain system that facilitates an understanding of intention, emotion and perspective

Question 5

mirror neurons and autism

Answer 5

it has been suggested that neurological deficits in the mirror neuron system may explain autism

Question 6

ramachandran

Answer 6

‘broken mirror’ theory of autism

Question 7

gallese and goldman (1988)

Answer 7

MNs enable us to feel empathy. this empathy is likely to be the basis for prosocial behavior. therefore might be the mechanism for understanding another perspective

Question 8

ramachamdram (2000)

Answer 8

• mirror neurons are especially developed in humans, explains the uniqueness of humans as a species
• enabled us to excel in social relationships (evolutionary basis od the success of the human species)

Question 9

ramachamdram and oberman (2006)

Answer 9

• ‘broken theory’ of ASD
• neurological deficits prevents developing child imitating and understanding social behaviour in others. children later diagnosed with asd typically mimic adult behaviour less
  —- leas to children failing to read emotion and intention in others

Question 10

strengths

Answer 10

• evidence of mirror neurons in both monkeys and humans
• suggests a biological basis to social cognition that has evolved due to adaptation. clear evidence that empathy, imitation of, and understanding of others thoughts and feelings etc is carried out in the brain.
• ## suggests a biological explanation for autism

Question 11

weakness

Answer 11

• methodological issues with studying MN system in humans -not yet possible to study single neurons in humans - can’t prove they exist and can only make inferences based on behaviour
• findings in monkeys cannot be generalised + evidence is mixed and inconclusive
• hamilton, 2012 metaanalysis - of 25 studies concluded there was little evidence for a global dysfunction of the mirror system in autism — reductionist