MIRROR NEURONS THE BRAIN PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF EMPATHY AND WELL-FOUNDED BASIS OF THE SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY OF BANDURA

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1 MIRROR NEURONS THE BRAIN PHYSIOLOGICAL BASIS OF EMPATHY AND WELL-FOUNDED BASIS OF THE SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY OF BANDURA Inter-University Centre Dubrovnik Course: Social work theories and methodologies June 5 th 11 th, 2011 Bach Kathrin, Social Worker (B.A.) Catholic University of Eichstätt

2 THE BEGINNING Giacomo Rizzolatti, Italian neurophysiologist (born on April 28 th, 1937 in Kiev, Ukraine) is nowadays employed at the University of Parma in Italy In the beginning of the 90 Rizzolatti led a team of scientists to find out the mechanism of action neurons in macaque monkeys 2

3 MACAQUE MONKEYS The experiment First, the monkey had to grab a nut that was located in front of him Second, the monkey just observed another macaque grabbing a nut In the last situation the monkey observed a human being grabbing a nut The result Without being rewarded, almost the same activity could be noticed in the brain of the macaque during all three situations (c.f. Rizzolatti, 2008, 102) Their brain doesn t make a difference whether they are just seeing something or doing something This is why those cells were called mirror neurons 3

4 HUMAN BEINGS After that overwhelming finding Rizzolatti tried to find out whether similar neurons exist in human beings, too, and fortunately they do If a human being performs a concrete motion sequence, a high activity of the mirror neuron system can be observed through a FMRI. Also when he just observes somebody else doing that motion sequence, almost the same activity can be noticed Our brain performs a potential motor action when we watch other people doing a concrete movement 4

5 HUMAN BEINGS Human beings own a control system First, it can alleviate the transfer of a potential motor action into a real action Second, it can block that transfer when the behaviour might be inappropriate 5

6 VILAYANUR RAMACHANDRAN Vilayanur Ramachandran expressed his opinion about that finding as follows I predict that mirror neurons will do for psychology what DNA did for biology: they will provide a unifying framework and help explain a host of mental abilities that have hitherto remained mysterious and inaccessible to experiments. (Ramachandran, 2000, 1) 6

7 IMITATION 7

8 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIRROR NEURONS According to Bauer mirror neurons can be seen as a startset which enables human beings to their first interpersonal contact This basic equipment is not sufficient ( Use it or lose it ) Constant relations as well as a secure training area must be offered for the further development of the mirror neuron system 8

9 THE DEVELOPMENT OF MIRROR NEURONS If the conditions are given mirror neurons will be developed in a positive way and the production of endorphins can be noticed It there is a lack of these factors negative consequences can be observed. Chronic stress can be seen as a disease- and self-destruction program (c.f. Bauer, 2010, 113) Also when children never experience mimic exchange, they won t be able to develop social competences e.g. empathy. This absence of the ability to empathize often leads to deviant or violent behaviour To sum up, social exclusion and the refuse of interpersonal contacts have far reaching consequences for the human being himself but also for his social environment 9

10 THE ASSESSMENT OF MIRROR NEURONS The system of mirror neurons must be seen ambivalent (c.f. Bauer, 2010, 40) The development of the child can be influenced positive if interpersonal relations and a training area are given Negative consequences can occur if there is an absence of these factors or simply an inappropriate model 10

11 THE ROLE OF MASS MEDIA Nowadays we can notice a rising sense causing effect of mass media According to Grimm mass media nowadays give values and norms, offer orientation and try to explain the world (c.f. Grimm, 2002, 25). But not all of these explanations are considered as desirable Problematical inputs can also be taken over into our own behaviour by mirror neurons In conclusion, we can say that the development of prosocial behaviour depends on the model we are following 11

12 SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY According to Bandura new behaviour can be learned by imitation There exist four components of observational learning (1) Attention process Bandura gives an explanation of a model s condition which receives the most attention "[...] models who are high in prestige, power, intelligence, and competence are emulated to a considerably greater degree than models of subordinate standing." (Bandura, 1971, 54) 12

13 SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY (2) Retention process The information will be restructured and transformed into an easy rememberable and symbolic form (c.f. Bandura, 1976, 24) As one possible technique the received information can be visualized In addition, information can be transliterated into a linguistic representation system (c.f. Bandura, 1976, 25) These mental pictures and linguistic symbols can function as an instruction for reproduction 13

14 SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY (3) Production The recipient must be fully developed to imitate the behaviour after a certain time of practicing (c.f. Bandura, 1976, 29) Problems can arise with little children who have difficulties with doing complex movements 14

15 SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY (4) Motivational processes Taking over unknown behaviour will be supported by three different types of motivation People will be willing to imitate behaviour if the outcome is mainly positive without unpleasant effects (c.f. Bandura, 1976, 29) vicarious and self-produced motivation can be helpful for reproduction 15

16 SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY If the client is willing to learn by imitation, different kinds of effects can be noticed First, a completely new behaviour can arise through observational learning Second, behaviour which has already been learned can be modified. Observational learning can have a disinhibiting effect as well as an inhibiting effect. If the human being gets into trouble or harsh criticism, he won t show that behaviour again. But if he gets praised, he will display this manner more often Third, certain behaviour can be triggered if the model shows the recipient how to act 16

17 Acquisition Attention Production Modeled Happening Retention Motivation Reproduction Performance 17

18 SUMMARY In conclusion we can say that the finding of the mirror neuron system was pathbreaking As a result it will help us to explain several mental abilities Mirror neurons can be seen as a requirement for learning by imitation and are, as a consequence, the basis of the social cognitive theory of Bandura During the last years a lot of experiments could be observed about their mechanism and importance and further research is yet to come 18

19 Mirror Neurons Social Cognitive Theory Interperso nal Contact Training Area Attention Retention Production Motivation New Behaviour 19

20 LITERATURE Bandura, Albert. Lernen am Modell. Ansätze zu einer sozialkognitiven Lerntheorie. Klett, Stuttgart 1976 Bauer, Joachim. Warum ich fühle, was du fühlst: Intuitive Kommunikation und das Geheimnis der Spiegelneurone. Hoffmann und Campe Verlag, Hamburg 2010 Grimm, Petra. Menschenbilder in den Medien ethische Vorbilder. Franz Steiner Verlag, Wiesbaden 2002 Rizzolatti, Giacomo. Empathie und Spiegelneurone: Die biologische Basis des Mitgefühls. Suhrkamp Verlag, Frankfurt am Main 2008 Ramachandran, Vilayanur. documents/archive/edge69.html) endge foundation, inc