PA 8 & 9 Action Flashcards
Perception-action mapping
We can seamlessly map visual representations
of actions onto our motor systems (crossmodal
transfer) to produce a copy of the action
= innate
developmental evidence for innate PAM
infants imitate facial expressions
Active Intermodal Matching
(AIM)
- Neonates recognise
equivalences between body
transformations they see and
those of their own body that
they ‘feel’ themselves make
AIM involves:
* perception and action having independent
coding/representation
* A “specialist” module for imitation
AIM vs other theories
AIM involves:
* perception and action having independent
coding/representation
* A “specialist” module for imitation
Other theories (IM and ASL) posit:
* Common coding for perception and action
* Imitation part of “generalist” processes for
motor control and learning
Dual route model of imitation
input action
visual analysis
- Semantic –
meaningful actions,
stored in repetoire - Visuomotor/direct –
meaningless actions –
mirror neurones
output action
Mirror neurones
Same neurones
found to be
active when the
monkey
performed and
watched an
action
MNs - General properties
Bimodal, visuo-motor
neurons (i.e., respond
to both visual and
motor stimuli)
* Discharge when
individual performs an
action and when they
observe the same
action performed by
another individual
F5 contains 3-types of neurons (direct
evidence from monkeys):
– ‘action observation-related’ visuomotor
neurons (mirror neurons)
– motor neurons
– Canonical visuomotor neurons (also
called ‘object observation-related’
neurons)
indirect evidence for human mirror neurons
- close link between perception and action
- behavioural
- brain imaging
- TMS
direct evidence in humans for mirror neurons
Recording from neurons
behavioural evidence for MNs
faster response when there is compatibility between observed and executed movements
Human MNs – Brain Imaging
evidence
Somatotopic activation of premotor and parietal cortex
(Buccino et al, 2001)
areas correspond to
observations of actions of
different body parts
Perception action overlap human MN evidence
Overlap in brain
activity between
imagined, observed
and executed
movements
Human MNs - TMS EVIDENCE
Use motor evoked potentials to show that observing an
action produces increased motor excitability
Human MNs – Direct recording
- Recorded from 1177 neurons in 21 patients
undergoing surgery for intractable epilepsy - They observed and executed grasping actions
and facial gestures - Action observation-related (‘mirror’) neurons
found in medial frontal lobe (supplementary
motor area; SMA) and medial temporal lobe
(hippocampus)
diff response in mirror neurons in mirror neurones
when observing action, some will respond with excitation, some with inhibition.
Species-specific differences
human vs monkey
for human, action does not have to be goal-directed or contain object.
- meaningless movements are represented
* Action must be goal-directed (often involve actual
object)
* Cannot learn novel and complex acts (involve BA46
not present in monkey) – THEY DON’T IMITATE
* Rather than for imitation MNs may underpin
understanding intentions
what does the core imitation circuit contain
WHAT FUNCTION
STS, MNS
superior temporal sulcus
mirror neuron system
gesture and language
motor preparation areas
WHAT MAIN AREA
WHAT FUNCTION
BA46 …
imitative learning
how do insula and limbic system interact with core imitation circuit
to perform social mirroring
MNs and origin of language
MNs give capacity to recognise actions of others
- inter-individual communication
- manual gesture system
- vocal speech
Inter-individual communication
Actor performs an
action
Observer is interested
and produces small
motor response
visible to actor
Actor recognises
intention of observer
and responds
Observer recognises
they have affected
behaviour of actor
From Gesture to Speech.
suggested evidence that hand gestures predisposed speech
The hand and mouth are functionally linked
(Gentilucci et al., 2001; Darwin)
* When hold large/small objects people make
matching large and small mouth movements
* Make larger mouth movements (and louder
sounds) when asked to produce a syllable whilst
holding large objects
* Size of mouth movement increased when
watching someone else hold a large object
intersubjectivity
intersubjectivity is about how we share experiences, emotions, and understandings with other people. It’s the foundation for social connection — how “my mind” and “your mind” can meet.
- Imitation, empathy, intention
Gallese suggests that when we observe other people, we understand them by simulating their actions and feelings inside our own body and mind. = embodied simulation
Together, crossmodal transfer (put diff senses together) + mirror neurons allow us to internally mirror others’ experiences — forming the basis of imitation, empathy, and predicting intentions.
