The Role of Mirror Neurons in Empathy: How We Understand Others

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by Saniya Somji and Siddhipriya Chatterjee

[MSc. SY Applied Psychology]

    Have you ever yawned just because you noticed someone else around you yawn? Have you ever
experienced excitement with a friend because they were excited about something? Have you ever
flinched and winced when you saw someone fall, or get hurt? Certainly, the answer is yes. The
most powerful and definitive hallmarks of humanity are empathy. This trait makes it possible for
any human to connect with others, understand their feelings, and react to what they have
experienced. For instance, when a friend tells us great news or something exciting, we find
ourselves feeling joy for them; and when someone else is in pain, it often brings about a wince
from us. But how does the mirroring of emotions and moods take place? The answer lies in the
fascinating field of neuroscience, specifically in the world of mirror neurons.

                                          

What are Mirror Neurons?
    
    Imagine a toddler stumbling and falling, far away from you. Your immediate response will be to
feel uneasy or feel worried in some other way. Mirror neurons, a type of neural network that
stimulates both action and perception, are responsible for these reactions. When you do an
action, a mirror neuron is activated simultaneously with someone else performing the identical
action (Rizzolatti & Craighero, 2004). For example, the smile of a baby is learned by observing
the smile of the parent. When the mother coos and makes faces at her infant, the mirror neurons
of the infant help the baby to mimic those expressions, and thus the grounds for social learning
and emotional bonding are being laid down (Rizzolatti & Sinigaglia, 2008). That's why, when
parents clap, pout, or frown, they find their children doing the same.

    Mirror neurons were initially discovered in monkeys in the 1990s, when they were investigated
by Italian neuroscientist Giacomo Rizzolatti and his colleagues. It was eventually discovered that
some neurons responded when a monkey witnessed another monkey or a person performing the
same thing, in addition to when the animal clutched an object. This revelation revolutionized our
knowledge of brain processing and social interaction.

How Mirror Neurons Create Empathy

    Empathy is the capacity to experience and understand the feelings of others. Mirror neurons
allow us to 'empathize' with another person, sharing in the experience of his or her feelings as if
they were our own (Iacoboni 2009). If we see someone smile, we engage the same mirror
neurons for smiling and might be more likely to return that smile. This mechanism enables the
establishment of emotional bonds and cooperation. In a way, while reading a book or watching a
movie, a certain amount of feeling is developed for the characters, even if they are fabricated.
Mirror neurons help us step into their experiences; therefore, storytelling is a good way to elicit
emotions (Zaki & Ochsner, 2012). Hence, people cry toward the end of emotionally charged
films or novels during vivid battle scenes.

    Another example is when we see someone waving their hands, we tend to wave back, mirroring
their actions, however, sometimes they may not be waving at us and we mistake their action to
be directed towards us. Another instance is when, during a gripping moment in the film where
the lead character is feeling anguish, you might feel a lump forming in your throat, or tears may
well up in your eyes. Your emotional response comes from those mirror neurons making you feel
as if you were having the experience in the scene (Keysers & Gazzola 2006). For instance, a
scene from the movie Kal Ho Na Ho, where Shah Rukh Khan collapses on the floor after a dance
performance and is rushed to the hospital, is a moment in the movie that tends to bring tears to
our eyes. Likewise, when we see someone else in pain, our brains perceive their suffering as our
own, prompting us to comfort and support them.

Mirror Neurons and Human Relationships
    
    Empathy is essential to healthy partnerships. Our capacity to "feel" what other people are feeling
is crucial in partnerships at work, in intimate relationships, and friendships. Mirror neurons help
us react appropriately by enabling us to detect subtle body language, tone of voice, and facial
expressions (Singer et al., 2004). For instance, even before they speak, you may be able to tell
that a friend is distressed as they enter the room. Mirror neurons facilitate emotional awareness
between partners in romantic relationships. Even if they are not directly participating in the
stressful circumstance, the other partner frequently experiences tension while the first partner is
under stress. Bonds are strengthened and stronger connections are fostered by this emotional
synchronization (Lamm et al., 2011). Couples who mimic one another's body language and
conversational characteristics frequently experience a stronger sense of understanding and
connection.

Strengthening Empathy Through Mirror Neurons
    
    Although mirror neurons do their job automatically, we can take proactive steps to improve our
empathy. Here are a few methods for doing so:

1. Have Face-to-Face Discussions Digital communication is less successful than in-person
encounters at activating mirror neurons. We can improve our ability to read emotions by
maintaining eye contact and paying attention to body language (Gallese, 2007).
2. Engage in active listening by concentrating on the feelings that underlie words rather than
just hearing them. To establish a stronger emotional bond, nod, keep eye contact, and
mimic the speaker's facial emotions (Decety & Jackson, 2004).
3. Watch and Learn: Diverse emotions and viewpoints can be better understood by watching
films, reading books, or observing individuals in various social contexts (Zaki &
Ochsner, 2012).
4. Engage in Acts of Kindness: Assisting others helps to enhance the neurological circuits
linked to empathy. Compassionate conduct is reinforced by even the smallest actions,
such as volunteering or consoling a friend (Lamm et al., 2011).
Scientists are still working to fully understand mirror neurons, despite the remarkable insights
that have been obtained from researching them. By building emotionally intelligent machines,
future research could improve artificial intelligence, find new ways to boost empathy, and create
more effective treatments for social illnesses (Iacoboni, 2011). Breakthrough discoveries in
psychology, education, and mental health may result from our growing understanding of how our
brains "mirror" the experiences of others.

Conclusion
    
    Human connection is centered on mirror neurons. By simply watching others, they enable us to
experience happiness, sorrow, and even physical emotions. We can develop relationships, learn
from others, and create a more compassionate society thanks to these small but powerful brain
cells. We can improve empathy and build a society that values emotional understanding and
connection by comprehending and fostering our mirror neuron system.

References

1. Calvo-Merino B, Glaser DE, Grèzes J, Passingham RE, Haggard P. Action observation and
acquired motor skills: an FMRI study with expert dancers. Cereb Cortex. 2005
Aug;15(8):1243-9. doi: 10.1093/cercor/bhi007. Epub 2004 Dec 22. PMID: 15616133.

2. Decety, Jean & Jackson, Philip. (2004). The Functional Architecture of Human Empathy.
Behavioral and cognitive neuroscience reviews. 3. 71-100. 10.1177/1534582304267187.

3. Gallese, Vittorio. (2001). The 'shared manifold' hypothesis. From mirror neurons to empathy.
Journal of Consciousness Studies. 8. 33-50.

4. Iacoboni, Marco. (2011). Within Each Other: Neural Mechanisms for Empathy in the Primate
Brain. 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199539956.003.0005.

5. Praszkier, R. (2016). Empathy, mirror neurons and SYNC. Mind & Society, 15, 1-25.
Provine, Robert R. (2005). Contagious yawning and laughing: Everyday imitation- and
mirror-like behavior. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 28 (2):142-142

6. Singer T, Seymour B, O'Doherty J, Kaube H, Dolan RJ, Frith CD. Empathy for pain involves the
affective but not sensory components of pain. Science. 2004 Feb 20;303(5661):1157-62. doi:
10.1126/science.1093535. PMID: 14976305.

7. Sonkin, D., PhD. (2013). Mirroring people: The science of empathy and how we connect with
others. Partner Abuse, 4(2), 287-291. doi:https://doi.org/10.1891/1946-6560.4.2.287

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