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Mirror Neuron Systems

The Role of Mirroring Processes in Social Cognition

  • Book
  • © 2009

Overview

Editors:
  1. Jaime A. Pineda
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  • Timely study of mirroring processes in the recently expanding field of social cognition
  • Interdisciplinary contributors including philosophers, social psychologists, cognitive scientists and neuroscientists
  • Provides the latest research and thinking of leading international scientists
  • Brings together novel and unique interpretations of the role of mirroring in social cognition

Part of the book series: Contemporary Neuroscience (CNEURO)

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Table of contents (16 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-xiv
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  2. What Is Imitation?

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Unifying Social Cognition

      • Christian Keysers, Valeria Gazzola
      Pages 1-35

    3. Reflections on the Mirror Neuron System: Their Evolutionary Functions Beyond Motor Representation

      • Lindsay M. Oberman, V. S. Ramachandran
      Pages 39-59

  3. Developmental Aspects

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. The Neurophysiology of Early Motor Resonance

      • François Champoux, Jean-François Lepage, Marie-Christine Désy, Mélissa Lortie, Hugo Théoret
      Pages 63-76

    3. The Rational Continuum of Human Imitation

      • Derek E. Lyons
      Pages 77-103

  4. Neural Basis

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. From Embodied Representation to Co-regulation

      • Gün R. Semin, John T. Cacioppo
      Pages 107-120

    3. The Problem of Other Minds Is Not a Problem: Mirror Neurons and Intersubjectivity

      • Marco Iacoboni
      Pages 121-133

    4. Hierarchically Organized Mirroring Processes in Social Cognition: The Functional Neuroanatomy of Empathy

      • Jaime A. Pineda, A. Roxanne Moore, Hanie Elfenbeinand, Roy Cox
      Pages 135-160

  5. Relationship to Cognitive Processes

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. Mirror Neurons and the Neural Exploitation Hypothesis: From Embodied Simulation to Social Cognition

      • Vittorio Gallese
      Pages 163-190

    3. From Imitation to Reciprocation and Mutual Recognition

      • Philippe Rochat, Claudia Passos-Ferreira
      Pages 191-212

    4. Automatic and Controlled Processing within the Mirror Neuron System

      • Trevor T. J. Chong, Jason B. Mattingley
      Pages 213-233

    5. Embodied Perspective on Emotion-Cognition Interactions

      • Piotr Winkielman, Paula M. Niedenthal, Lindsay M. Oberman
      Pages 235-257

  6. Disorders of Mirroring

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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    2. The Role of Mirror Neuron Dysfunction in Autism

      • Raphael Bernier, Geraldine Dawson
      Pages 261-286

    3. Synaesthesia for Pain: Feeling Pain with Another

      • Melita J. Giummarra, John L. Bradshaw
      Pages 287-307

  7. Alternative Views

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
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Keywords

About this book

The aim of this book is to bring together social scientists, cognitive scientists, psychologists, neuroscientists, neuropsychologists and others to promote a dialogue about the variety of processes involved in social cognition, as well as the relevance of mirroring neural systems to those processes. Social cognition is a broad discipline that encompasses many issues not yet adequately addressed by neurobiologists. Yet, it is a strong belief that framing these issues in terms of the neural basis of social cognition, especially within an evolutionary perspective, can be a very fruitful strategy. This book includes some of the leading thinkers in the nascent field of mirroring processes and reflects the authors’ attempts to till common ground from a variety of perspectives. The book raises contrary views and addresses some of the most vexing yet core questions in the field – providing the basis for extended discussion among interested readers and laying down guidelines for future research. It has been argued that interaction with members of one’s own social group enhances cognitive development in primates and especially humans (Barrett & Henzi, 2005). Byrne and Whiten (1988), Donald (1991), and others have speculated that abilities such as cooperation, deception, and imitation led to increasingly complex social interactions among primates resulting in a tremendous expansion of the cerebral cortex. The evolutionary significance of an imitation capability in primates is matched by its ontological consequences.

Reviews

From the reviews:

"Mirror Neuron Systems: The Role of Mirroring Processes in Social Cognition can be viewed as evolving from this area of specialization, being an anthology of explanations for the relation between mirror neuron locations and functions and some main concepts from social cognition. … This book will serve scholars researching the topic of mirror neurons as new findings emerge and the theoretical understandings mature. The book also serves as a useful addition to graduate courses that cover social cognitive neuroscience." (Francis C. Staskon, PsycCRITIQUES, Vol. 54 (35), 2009)

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