2023-04-27 16:00:18
Mirror neurons play a key role in social interaction and are partly responsible for physical empathy. We explain what is known about the subject.
When we refer to empathy, we always tend to fall into the commonplace of “putting ourselves in the other’s place.” And physical empathy is literally, since this understanding can reach such levels, that we live in the body what others are feeling. Although it seems strange, it is possible. To understand how it works, let’s first learn a little more about empathy.
This ability involves entering the other person’s frame of reference, their world, as understood by Carl Rogers, an existentialist psychologist. For this, observation and respect are required, although this does not mean that we have to agree with what the other manifests.
Empathy requires open and active listening, which allows us to accompany our interlocutor and be able to give him an answer on his own terms, with a suitable tune. At this point the question often arises as to whether we can feel other people’s pain. Let’s see what this is about.
Can you feel the pain of others?
The answer is yes. After all, surely you were moved and cried at someone else’s story of suffering, as if you were the one who was experiencing it. And in part you were living it. This is due to the involvement of mirror neurons.
Mirror neurons were discovered by a group of researchers led by the Italian Giacomo Rizzolatti, while studying the motor regions of macaque monkeys. From there, it was possible to establish that these cells have the particularity of being activated both if we are the ones who carry out an action, or if we are witnesses of the action carried out by another.
That is why mirror neurons are also involved in learning by imitation. Located in Broca’s area and in the parietal lobe, their name derives from this ability to reflect in the brain itself, the activity carried out by another.
The importance of this finding lies in the role that these neurons have around social interaction. They give us the possibility of perceiving or interpreting what happens to our interlocutor.
What is physical empathy?
Physical empathy refers to the ability to reflect the physical symptoms of other people, feeling them as their own.
To understand a little better, we can think of the yawn that arises almost automatically when we see another yawn. Although it would not be an empathic behavior, but a mirror type, this analogy gives us more elements to understand how it works.
It is necessary to clarify that reaching physical empathy is not frequent, unlike what happens with empathy linked to emotions or moods. The physical form is presented by people who are very sensitive, with greater activation of their neural networks, which is why they reach that state in which they feel the pain of others.
It manifests itself more frequently in the presence of certain stimuli. For example, it is more likely to experience it when what we observe is moving, than in relation to a mere sound.
But discomfort is not the only thing we can experience “on our skin.” We can also experience joy, happiness and different states of mind. Surely you can remember that occasion when you started laughing heartily, just to see someone do it and without understanding the underlying reason. According to studies in this regard, the more sincere we perceive other people’s laughter, the more it will “infect” us.
The importance of controlling empathy
There is no doubt that empathy is valued as a positive aspect. However, it is important to take care of ourselves so as not to fall into an extreme or an excess.
Some people assume a false image of “saviors” or “redeemers”, which leads them to worry excessively about what happens to the other. They feel in the role of helping yes or yes, being able to reach compassion fatigue.
Empathy requires a balanced attunementboth for others and for oneself. In the case of others, accompanying and encouraging the person to make decisions and to be proactive in resolving what happens to them. In this way, far from underestimating or infantilizing, we encourage empowerment.
In relation to ourselves, the importance of controlling empathy has to do with not absorbing situations or emotions until they are affected. This could imply problems of anxiety, discomfort and anguish. It is even true that in the exercise of certain professionals, being especially empathic could be of little use or affect proper performance.
Physical empathy is a complex concept
Empathy is one of the qualities that allows us to connect with other people and understand what they are going through. In this way, it paves the way for us in social interactions. However, when empathy reaches the extreme of completely upsetting us, it can imply an emotional imbalance and bring us some discomfort.
Many professionals recommend working on self-knowledge, as it would serve as a tool to identify which emotions belong to us and which do not. Thus, we can establish limits. Managing emotions in these cases is key.
Lastly, much is said about empathy towards others, but the focus is seldom on consideration towards oneself. It is something very important to keep in mind to take care of ourselves.
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