What are referred to as ‘autistic spectrum disorders‘ like Aspergers also appear more often in men and boys. People with autism have a hard time understanding the mental and emotional states of other people; this is why social interactions are not easy for them. Reduced mirror neuron activity weakens their ability to experience immediately and effortlessly what other people are experiencing,
Another important consideration would be, that if we’re wired to automatically internalise the movements and mental states of others, what this suggests about the effect of violent films, television programmes and video games. Mirror neurons provide a plausible neurobiological mechanism that might explain why being exposed to media violence can lead to imitative violence.
Leave a Reply