Empathy is the ability of individuals to understand and share the emotions of others. This complex process is based not only on psychological but also biological foundations. Recent studies have shown that mirror neurons play an important role in the basis of our empathic skills. In this article, I will talk about the relationship between empathy and mirror neurons and the biological effects of empathic behavior in the cognitive psychology category.
We call the ability to understand and mutually share a person’s emotional state empathy. Empathy is an action that positively affects our communication with people and helps us to understand their feelings and thoughts and give healthy feedback. In order to empathise, we listen carefully to the other person and get some clues about their experience or feelings. These clues allow us to put our prejudices aside and put ourselves in the other person’s shoes and think about what they might have experienced. At this point, our emotional awareness develops and we begin to understand the other person better.
The pioneers of different psychological theories have made the first inferences about the biological reflections of empathy as well as defining empathy. For example; Giacomo Rizzolatti, in his studies in macaque monkeys in the early 1990s, found that some neurons in the premotor cortex were activated both in their own movements and when observing the movements of others. Vittorio Gallese and Christian Keysers proposed the following in the context of ‘simulation theory’: understanding another’s action, emotion or intention is realised in our own body through an ‘internal simulation’ of this event. In this process, the premotor and parietal mirror system, as well as limbic regions such as the anterior insula and the anterior cingulate cortex, are involved, so that we feel not only an action we see, but also the emotional experience of the person we observe.
The most important developments regarding the biological indicators of empathy began with the discovery of mirror neurons. In the 1990s, Rizzolatti and colleagues identified neurons in the F5 region of the premotor cortex of macaque monkeys that respond to both observed and performed movements. The presence of such “mirror” neurons laid the groundwork for simulation theories used to explain emotional empathy, as the activation of these cells allows individuals to subjectively “internalise” the experiences of others. Thus, the mirror neuron system has added a scientific dimension to empathy research as a neurobiological mechanism that not only recognises, but also feels and shares the happiness or pain of others.
How mirror neurons work:
Mirror neurons represent a distinct class of neurons that discharge both when an individual performs a motor action and when another individual is observed performing the same or a similar motor action. They have been found in multiple brain regions, including premotor cortex, supplementary motor area, primary somatosensory cortex, amygdala, thalamus and inferior parietal cortex.
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Initiating, planning and coordinating movements and storing motor programmes for learned actions
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Processing sensory information from different parts of the body related to touch, pressure and proprioception (awareness of body position)
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Sensory motor integration, spatial awareness and self-perception of objects
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They are engaged in processing emotions and regulating emotional responses.
Empathy and the biological connections of mirror neurons:
The mirror neuron system provides an ‘internal mirroring’ mechanism by activating the same neural networks when observing the actions or emotional states of others. This system plays an important role in sharing emotional experiences that go beyond motoric actions.
For example, in the study published by Wicker et al., observing a person experiencing disgust triggered the same neural activation in the observer’s anterior insula, promoting emotional resonance. Similarly, studies have observed parallel activity in areas such as the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) both when pain is felt and when witnessing someone else’s pain, suggesting neural reflections of empathic pain.
The Role of Mirror Neurons in Everyday Empathic Reactions:
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Emotional Projection:
When we watch someone else’s emotional state, similar emotional brain regions are activated. For example, if a friend’s voice trembles while wiping away tears, the fact that you get teary-eyed or choked up when you watch this is explained by the activation of areas such as the anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex. -
Empathy through Motor Imitation:
When you observe someone experiencing physical pain (for example, grimacing when you cut your hand), if you have a similar facial expression, this is due to the mirror neurons in the premotor cortex internally imitating the motor action. -
Empathy through Voice and Intonation:
Not only visual but also auditory cues can activate the mirror neuron system. For example, when someone speaks in an anxious tone of voice, if your heartbeat speeds up and you feel nervous, it is an indication that this system works through emotional resonance. -
Touch and Physical Empathy:
When you watch someone else’s physical contact, for example, if you feel cold when you see ice being placed on someone’s arm, this is a reflection of empathic touch with the activation of the somatosensory cortex.
In conclusion, the mirror neuron system is a mechanism that supports empathic behaviours and is functional in understanding and sharing both actions and emotions. Although empathy is a multidimensional process, the rapid and automatic mirroring ability provided by mirror neurons plays an important role in understanding the internal dynamics of social interactions.
References:
Iacoboni, M., & Lenzi, G. L. (2003). Mirror neurons, the insula, and empathy. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 26(4), 817–818. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0140525X03260113
Keysers, C., & Gazzola, V. (2007). Empathy and the mirror neuron system. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 11(12), 498–504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2007.10.003
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. Neuron, 40(3), 655–664. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0896-6273(03)00679-2
Jarrett, C. (2019, March 25). There is only weak evidence that mirror neurons underlie human empathy. BPS Research Digest. https://digest.bps.org.uk/2019/03/25/there-is-only-weak-evidence-that-mirror-neurons-underlie-human-empathy/
Pérez-Salas, C., Martínez, A., & Ramírez, E. (2013). Mirror neuron dysfunction in autism and its implications for empathy. Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, 20(10), 1350–1353. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocn.2012.11.020
UPE (t.y.). Empati nedir? Empati neden önemlidir? https://upe.com.tr/empati-nedir-empati-neden-onemlidir/
Altınbaş, K., Gülöksüz, S., Özçetinkaya, S., Oral, E.T. (2010). Empatinin biyolojik yönleri. Psikiyatride güncel yaklaşımlar, 2(1):15-25. https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/115154
Rizzolatti, G., Fadiga, L., Gallese, V., Fogassi, L. (1996). Premotor cortex and the recognition of motor actions. Cognitive brain research, 3(2), 131-141. https://doi.org/10.1016/0926-6410(95)00038-0
Gallese, V., Goldman, A., (1998). Mirror neurons and the stimulation theory of mind-reading. Trends in cognitive sciences, 2(12), 493-501. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1364-6613(98)01262-5
Iacobani, M. (2009). Imitation, empathy and mirror neurons. Annual review of psychology, 60, 653-670. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.163604