Learning From the Best With Mirror-Neurons

published IN OCTOBER 2023 | WRITTEN BY DEB MAES

Hard Wired for Empathy

Something special about our brains reveals that we are hard-wired for empathy. What does that mean..‘hard-wired’? Think about a light switch; it is hard-wired for light. From the switch to the light bulb is a wire that means when you activate the switch the light will turn on.

This is the same with our brains. We have mechanisms that help us understand the experience of other people and automatically generate empathy. The brain cells involved in this are called ‘mirror neurons’ and their name is a good descriptor of what they do; they mirror the neural activity that is necessary for the person we are observing to create whatever performance is required. These brain cells actually “mirror” what we perceive others doing. This is the biological basis of empathy — and a key to understanding the social brain.

This discovery was made in the early 1990’s. Gallese and colleagues at the University of Parma found a class of neurons in the premotor cortex activated when macaque monkeys execute goal-related hand movements or when they watch others doing the same action. In other words the same neurons fire when watching someone perform an action even when the person watching is not doing the action.

Everything a person is experiencing is the output of their neural activity, so it makes sense that if my brain is replicating theirs, that I too will have the same output as they do. Through silent observation, our mirror neurons allow us to access a lot of information that could not be said in words.

The implication is that if we pay attention to another person with the intention of understanding them, we will activate our mirror neurons and our brain will fire like theirs. When we experience an emotion as we see another person experiencing an emotion, such as happiness, fear, anger, or sadness, we don’t need to “think” about what the other person is feeling, we actually experience it directly. (Six Seconds, Jan 16, 2012,EQ Life|Six Seconds)

We can utilise this capacity in our brain to not only learn what we observe but to understand the experience of another person, saving both us and them the effort of putting experience into words.

The "Chamelleon Effect"

There is also a phenomenon that psychologists and neuroscientists call the “chameleon effect” which is the unconscious imitation of postures, mannerisms, and facial expressions. The more empathic we are, the more we exhibit the chameleon effect. AND, the more automatic “matching” happens, the more we feel connected – even if they’re not aware of the connection.

The Importance of Role Models

Perhaps it is becoming clear why role models are important to our success. Modelling occurs when we can consciously or unconsciously observe someone and learn from them. One of the first elements of learning is observing others, and we automatically begin to learn through this process. And, the good news is that we can intentionally improve our abilities by paying attention.

We can intensify the learning by focusing on the role model and imagining ourselves doing what they do. This is why we are committed to modelling excellence in the Compelling Leading program! We should “hang out” with people who are strong in the skills we want to develop or strengthen.

This seems to be true for emotions as well, leveraging ‘emotional contagion’. If for example you want to be more positive, upbeat or joyful , a powerful action is to spend time with people who exhibit these qualities as their default.

Final note on Leadership

Mirror neurons are another compelling reason leaders should be aware to monitor and manage themselves as role models; others are literally consciously or unconsciously absorbing what they see and mirroring this.

References

Are We Wired for Empathy? by Six Seconds | Jan 16, 2012 | EQ Life, Six Seconds | Marco Iacoboni. Published in April 2008 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, LLC.
Chameleon Effect in Psychology | Overview, Experiment & Examples Giacomo Rizzolatti, Fogassi, & Gallese, 2001
Cacioppo, J. T. (1994). Hatfeild, E., Rapson, R. L. “Emotional contagion”. Cambridge University Press, New York. Cheng, Y.; Yang, C. Y.; Lin, C. P.; Lee, P. R.; Decety, J. (2008). "The perception of pain in others suppresses somatosensory oscillations: A magnetoencephalography study". NeuroImage. 40(4): 1833–1840.
Hamilton, D. (2011). “The contagious power of thinking: how your thoughts can influence the world”. Hay House.
Morrison, I. et al. (2004). "Vicarious responses to pain in anterior cingulate cortex: is empathy a multisensory issue?". Cognitive & Affective Behavioral Neuroscience. 4 (2): 270–278
Wicker, B.; Keysers, C.; Plailly, J.; Royet, J.P.; Gallese, V.; Rizzolatti, G. (2003). "Both of us disgusted in my insula: the common neural basis of seeing and feeling disgust" (PDF). Neuron. 40 (3): 655–664.
Winerman, T. (2005). “The mind’s mirror”. American Psychological Association. Vol 36, No. 9, 48 (2005). https://www.apa.org/monitor/oct05/mirror
Van der Gaad, C. et al. (2007). "Facial expressions: What the mirror neuron system can and cannot tell us". Social Neuroscience. 2 (3–4): 179–222.
The Wall Street Journal Friday, May 30, 2008 As of 8:09 PM EDT Mirroring People: The New Science of How We Connect With Others

Deb Maes | WRITOR

Deb is like a magician in the way she is able to discern the exact key to unlock more of the untapped potential in leaders.

The compelling Leading team is not only passionate but highly skilled and experienced at supporting global leaders to access and apply wisdom in their work and lives. Please reach out to us if you would like to know more about our work.

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