Mirror Neurons for Education
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt (Austria)
School of Education
Pschober@edu.uni-klu.ac.at, Barbara.Sabitzer@aau.at
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Mirror Neurons for Education
Table of Contents
1.
What are Mirror Neurons?
1.1 Discovery and Activation in Monkeys
1.2 Mirror Neurons in Humans
2.
Mirror Neurons and Social Interaction
2.1 Action Understanding
2.2 Action Imitation
2.3 Mirroring Body Language, Facial Expressions and Feelings
3.
Mirror Neurons for Education
3.1 Imitation Learning
3.2 Interpersonal Relationships
3.3 Controversial Issues
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
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Mirror Neurons for Education: What are Mirror Neurons?
Mirror Neurons
= neurons firing both when an action is executed
and when it is observed [1]
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
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Mirror Neurons for Education: What are Mirror Neurons?
1.1 Discovery and Activation in Monkeys
In the 1990s, Rizzolatti et al. discovered mirror neurons in
a monkey’s premotor cortex.
These neurons reacted when the monkey…
…reached for a nut,
…saw humans or scientists reach for it [1],
…heard the sound of paper being torn (association: food being unwrapped) [2]
…and could only infer the reaching action’s aim because it was hidden [3].
Mirror neurons also reacted before an action was finished and anticipated its aim [4].
Mirror neurons did not react when...
...scientists only pretended to reach for an imaginary object and
...no other person or animal was interacting with an observed object [5].
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
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Mirror Neurons for Education: What are Mirror Neurons?
1.2 Mirror Neurons in Humans
Through electrophysiological studies Mukamel et al. provided evidence
of the existence of a mirror neuron system in humans in 2010.
This system is still largely uninvestigated, but expected to be similar to
the one found in apes. Mirror neurons presumably exist in numerous regions
of the human brain [6].
Some scientists believe that mirror neurons constitute the basis for speech
development in humans. This hypothesis is still very controversial [7].
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
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Mirror Neurons for Education: MNs and Social Interaction
2.1 Action Understanding
Mirror neurons allow us to understand actions others perform
by transforming visual information into knowledge [8].
Mirror neurons are activated when others perform actions we have not (1) and
have observed before (2).
(1) Mirror neurons are activated and draw a motoric pattern of the
observed action in our brains. Thereby, they enable us to imitate the
movement at future instances.
(2) Mirror neurons and the pattern they have previously created are
activated. Thereby, our prior knowledge of this action helps us understand
what we are observing and anticipate the action’s aim [9].
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
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Mirror Neurons for Education: MNs and Social Interaction
2.2 Action Imitation
Unlike most species, humans are able to learn by imitation.
Understanding actions we observe is essential to imitation learning.
Imitation learning enables us…
…to incorporate new patterns to accomplish tasks we have never been
confronted with before and
…to substitute motoric patterns we are used to by enhanced patterns
observed in someone else‘s movements [8].
Action imitation can lead to a shared scope of attention (“joint attention“). It
emerges when numerous people imitate others’ behaviour and creates a sense
of belonging [9].
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
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Mirror Neurons for Education: MNs and Social Interaction
2.3 Mirroring Body Language,
Facial Expressions and Feelings
Mirror neurons make us mirror other people‘s body language and facial
expressions. They are also able to transfer emotions and thereby change our
constitution.
Humans are not subjected to mirror neurons‘ influence and are able to inhibit
reflexes triggered by their activation [9].
Evidence was provided by…
…Ulf Dimberg et al. (proved that people unconsciously smile and frown in
response to smiling and frowning faces) [10] and
…Bruno Wicker et al. (proved that the observation of disgust activates the
same neurons as feeling disgusted does) [11].
Patricia Schober, MMag. Dr. Barbara Sabitzer
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Mirror Neurons for Education: Mirror Neurons for Education
3.1 Imitation Learning
Mirror neurons’ reaction is intensified when an observed action triggers
our interest, we are motivated and plan or are told to imitate it.
Thereby, our ability to acquire knowledge is enhanced [12].
Mirror neurons can positively influence students’ learning
performances. Therefore, a communication of knowledge activating them
(such as brain-based teaching methods) should be targeted by teachers.
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Mirror Neurons for Education: Mirror Neurons for Education
3.2 Interpersonal Relationships
Mirror neurons can influence interpersonal relationships in positive and
negative ways by making us imitate others’ body language, facial expressions
and emotions.
Student-teacher relationships are often dominated and shaped by teachers [12].
Teachers’ awareness of mirror neurons can help them create a more positive
atmosphere in class. Positive gestures (smiles, relaxed posture) should be
mirrored, negative ones (frowns, crossed arms) avoided.
Teachers can also try to make their students mirror their motivation, interest
and self-consciousness. They should try not to mirror negative emotions coming
from their students.
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Mirror Neurons for Education: Mirror Neurons for Education
3.3 Controversial Issues
Mirror neurons might influence students’ self-consciousness because they
imitate and adopt good and bad habits they observe [13].
→ teachers’ influence as role models on their students might be more powerful
than it is treated as today
Mirror neurons might be inhibited by negative emotions such as fear, tension
and stress [9].
→ the creation of a relaxed learning environment in school might be more
important than expected
Humans are used to being mirrored by others. In certain forms of mobbing this
habit is purposefully disturbed and the harassed person is socially isolated.
Body language and facial expressions are not mirrored anymore [9].
→ being aware of the way mirror neurons work might help teachers recognize this
particular form of mobbing and intervene at an early stage
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Mirror Neurons for Education
References:
[1] Kohler, E. et al. 2002. Hearing Sounds, Understanding Actions: Action Representation in Mirror Neurons. Available at:
http://www.unipr.it/arpa/mirror/pubs/pdffiles/Kohler-Keysers%202002.pdf (accessed 16 January 2013).
[2] Iacoboni, M. et al. 2005. Grasping the Intentions of Others with One's Own Mirror Neuron System. Available at:
http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pbio.0030079#close (accessed 13 January 2013).
[3] Umiltà, M. A. et al. 2001. I Know What You Are Doing: A Neurophysiological Study. Available at:
http://www.unipr.it/arpa/mirror/pubs/pdffiles/Umilta-Kohler%202001.pdf (accessed 16 January 16, 2013).
[4] Fogassi, L. et al. 2005. Parietal Lobe: From Action Organization to Intention Understanding. Available at:
http://www.unipr.it/arpa/mirror/pubs/pdffiles/Fogassi-Ferrari2005.pdf (accessed 16 January 2013).
[5] Rizzolatti G., L. Fogassi & V. Gallese. 2001. Neurophysiological mechanisms underlying the understanding and imitation of action. Available at:
http://www.unipr.it/arpa/mirror/pubs/pdffiles/Rizzolatti-Fogassi%202001.pdf (accessed 15 January 2013).
[6] Mukamel, R. et al. 2010. “Single-Neuron Responses in Humans during Execution and Observation of Actions.” Current Biology 20/8, pp. 750756.
[7] Rizzolatti, G. & Arbib M. A. 1998. Language within our grasp. Available at:
http://www.unipr.it/arpa/mirror/pubs/pdffiles/Rizzolatti%201998.pdf (accessed 16 January 2013).
[8] Rizzolatti, G. & L. Craighero. 2004. “The Mirror-Neuron System.” Annual Review of Neuroscience 27, pp. 169-192.
[9] Bauer, J. 2006. Warum ich fühle, was du fühlst. Intuitive Kommunikation und das Geheimnis der Spiegelneurone. München: Wilhelm Heyne
Verlag.
[10] Dimberg, U., M. Thunberg & K. Elmehed. 2000. “Unconscious facial reactions to emotional facial expressions.” Psychological Science 11, pp.
86-89.
[11] Wicker, B. et al. 2003. Both of Us Disgusted in My Insula: The Common Neural Basis of Seeing and Feeling Disgust. Available at:
http://www.bcn-nic.nl/txt/people/publications/bothdisgustedinsula.pdf (accessed 14 January 2013).
[12] Bauer, J. 2009. “Erziehung als Spiegelung: Die pädagogische Beziehung aus dem Blickwinkel der Hirnforschung.“ In: U. Herrmann (ed.).
Neurodidaktik. Grundlagen und Vorschläge für Gehirngerechtes Lehren und Lernen. Weinheim: Beltz, pp. 109-115.
[13] Bauer, J. 2009. “Kleine Zellen, große Gefühle – wie Spiegelneuronen funktionieren. Die neurobiologischen Grundlagen der «Theory of Mind»“.
In: Ulrich Herrmann (ed.). Neurodidaktik. Grundlagen und Vorschläge für gehirngerechtes Lehren und Lernen. Weinheim: Beltz, pp. 49-57.
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