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Mirror, Mirror in My Brain

An Exuberant Animal  publication/ February 14 , 2007
Mirror, mirror in my brain
By: Frank Forencich


The old-timers at the rock climbing gym used to have a running joke: "Don’t watch the beginners! You’ll end up climbing just like them. You’ll end up groping and thrashing and getting gripped." At the time, this belief was mostly superstition; we simply assumed that if we watched the clumsy, awkward movements of the novices, we’d end up doing the same. Better to watch the experts with their fluid power and physical intelligence. With any luck, it just might rub off.  Well it turns out we were right. It turns out that our brains do pick up on the movements of others and in so doing, increase the probability that we will do likewise. The structures behind this phenomenon have been called mirror neurons.
Mirror neurons were discovered several years ago in an Italian Neuroscience lab where researchers were doing routine recordings from the motor cortex of monkeys. Using a very thin wire probe in the brain, they recorded neural activity as the monkeys performed a simple movement. So far so good. Movement and brain firing patterns all matched up. But one day, in a fortuitous stroke of luck, the researchers happened to do some of their own movement in the lab, in the presence of the wired-up monkeys. Lo and behold, the monkey brains fired, simply on observing the human movement. The monkey’s bodies hadn’t moved at all, but their pre-motor cortex fired anyway, just as if they had performed the movement themselves. The researchers investigated further and dubbed the cells in question mirror neurons.
As it turns out, the term "mirror neurons" is actually something of a misnomer. Individually, the neurons in question look just like ordinary nerve cells. But when wired together in relationship, their resulting network executes "mirror responses." It’s not that the individual neurons are special, it’s that the network responds in this unique way. In the future, you’ll hear less talk about "mirror neurons" and more about "mirror responses" and "mirror networks."
So, what of it? Why a mirror system in the primate brain? Well, we are intensely social animals after all, and it makes sense that our tribal cohesion would be enhanced by the ability to sense and mimic the movements of others. If my brain can record and copy the movements that you execute, there’s a better chance that I’ll understand your intent and motivation. Mirror systems make us better social animals. Mirror systems help us establish an emotional connection with one another, a rapport. Mirrors don’t make us mind-readers, but they do make us effective body-readers, which is pretty amazing and valuable in it’s own right.
Mirror responses are going to be red-hot in coming years, especially in the fields of neuroscience and social psychology. But they’re also going to be hot in the worlds of physical education and athletic training. We already use mimicry to some extent, copying the moves of our favorite athletes for example. But now we can be more intentional about it. Not only can we demonstrate the mechanics of particular movements, we can also communicate the emotional content that goes with them. This makes our teaching a holistic, package deal. By working mirror responses, we can teach movement skills and the joy that goes with them. So put down your clipboard and start demonstrating your exuberance! And whatever you do, don’t watch the beginning climbers at the gym. Watch the experts instead.