Reflections of others and of self: The mirror neuron system’s relationship to empathy

C. Chad Woodruff

doi:10.1016/B978-0-12-809837-0.00006-4

Reflections of others and of self: The mirror neuron system’s relationship to empathy

C. Chad Woodruff

Psychological Sciences

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

Mirror neurons have generated intense interest since their discovery in the early 1990s because they offer a potential neural mechanism for linking the observation of a conspecific’s action to the representation of the motor plan for that action in the observer’s brain. Much progress has been made in the last two and one-half decades, but much remains mysterious as well. In this chapter, we discuss research in macaque monkeys and what has been revealed about the functional, anatomical and connectivity characteristics of mirror neurons (MNs). We also discuss the use of noninvasive brain imaging to measure MNs, considering the pros and cons. Further discussion concerns what role MNs play in action understanding as well as various models of MN function.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	The Neuroscience of Empathy, Compassion, and Self-Compassion
Publisher	Elsevier
Pages	157-187
Number of pages	31
ISBN (Electronic)	9780128098370
ISBN (Print)	9780128098387
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809837-0.00006-4
State	Published - Jan 1 2018

Keywords

Electroencephalography
Empathy
Functional magnetic resonance imaging
Mirror neurons
Self-other differentiation
Single-cell recordings

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Psychology

Access to Document

10.1016/B978-0-12-809837-0.00006-4

Cite this

@inbook{328d7e035a784e7ea5f94bb99a327019,

title = "Reflections of others and of self: The mirror neuron system{\textquoteright}s relationship to empathy",

abstract = "Mirror neurons have generated intense interest since their discovery in the early 1990s because they offer a potential neural mechanism for linking the observation of a conspecific{\textquoteright}s action to the representation of the motor plan for that action in the observer{\textquoteright}s brain. Much progress has been made in the last two and one-half decades, but much remains mysterious as well. In this chapter, we discuss research in macaque monkeys and what has been revealed about the functional, anatomical and connectivity characteristics of mirror neurons (MNs). We also discuss the use of noninvasive brain imaging to measure MNs, considering the pros and cons. Further discussion concerns what role MNs play in action understanding as well as various models of MN function.",

keywords = "Electroencephalography, Empathy, Functional magnetic resonance imaging, Mirror neurons, Self-other differentiation, Single-cell recordings",

author = "{Chad Woodruff}, C.",

year = "2018",

month = jan,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/B978-0-12-809837-0.00006-4",

language = "English (US)",

isbn = "9780128098387",

pages = "157--187",

booktitle = "The Neuroscience of Empathy, Compassion, and Self-Compassion",

publisher = "Elsevier",

}

TY - CHAP

T1 - Reflections of others and of self

T2 - The mirror neuron system’s relationship to empathy

AU - Chad Woodruff, C.

PY - 2018/1/1

Y1 - 2018/1/1

N2 - Mirror neurons have generated intense interest since their discovery in the early 1990s because they offer a potential neural mechanism for linking the observation of a conspecific’s action to the representation of the motor plan for that action in the observer’s brain. Much progress has been made in the last two and one-half decades, but much remains mysterious as well. In this chapter, we discuss research in macaque monkeys and what has been revealed about the functional, anatomical and connectivity characteristics of mirror neurons (MNs). We also discuss the use of noninvasive brain imaging to measure MNs, considering the pros and cons. Further discussion concerns what role MNs play in action understanding as well as various models of MN function.

AB - Mirror neurons have generated intense interest since their discovery in the early 1990s because they offer a potential neural mechanism for linking the observation of a conspecific’s action to the representation of the motor plan for that action in the observer’s brain. Much progress has been made in the last two and one-half decades, but much remains mysterious as well. In this chapter, we discuss research in macaque monkeys and what has been revealed about the functional, anatomical and connectivity characteristics of mirror neurons (MNs). We also discuss the use of noninvasive brain imaging to measure MNs, considering the pros and cons. Further discussion concerns what role MNs play in action understanding as well as various models of MN function.

KW - Electroencephalography

KW - Empathy

KW - Functional magnetic resonance imaging

KW - Mirror neurons

KW - Self-other differentiation

KW - Single-cell recordings

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081931872&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85081931872&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/B978-0-12-809837-0.00006-4

DO - 10.1016/B978-0-12-809837-0.00006-4

M3 - Chapter

AN - SCOPUS:85081931872

SN - 9780128098387

SP - 157

EP - 187

BT - The Neuroscience of Empathy, Compassion, and Self-Compassion

PB - Elsevier

ER -

Reflections of others and of self: The mirror neuron system’s relationship to empathy

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this