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Social imitation increases well-being and closeness by mechanisms that remain poorly understood. We propose that imitation impacts behavioural states in part by modulating post-imitation mind-wandering. The human mind wanders spontaneously and frequently, revisiting the past and imagining the future of self and of others. External and internal factors can influence wandering spontaneous thoughts, whose content predicts subsequent emotional states. In 43 young subjects, we find that imitating the arm movements of an actor alters the dynamics and the content of subsequent resting-state spontaneous thoughts. Imitation-sensitive features of spontaneous thoughts correlate with both behavioural states and salivary oxytocin levels. EEG microstate analysis reveals that global patterns of correlated neuronal activity predict imitation-induced changes in spontaneous thoughts. Thus, imitation can modulate ongoing activity in specific neural networks to change spontaneous thought patterns as a function of oxytocin levels, and to ultimately orchestrate behavioural states.

The role of the actor has been in continuous change across time. Therefore, the teaching paradigm needs to be transformed in order to meet the 21st century needs and interests. Theater is not only an aesthetic tool in the contemporary society but also an instrument in transmitting social, political and cultural information. The body of the actor contains within itself a system of verbal and non-verbal communication mechanisms that one must master in order to create dialog across the globe.

Role play is one of the core creative processes in theatrical performance. Play leads to positive emotions in both children and adults. Role-play, a distinctive type of play is used in several types of therapeutic interventions to increase social competence as well as for other benefits. The highly individualized use of role-play in psychotherapy, drama therapy and psychodrama is effective but not generalizable. In the present study we developed a standardized controlled procedure to promote role-play in 38 participants, and we monitored its impact on affect, anxiety, prosocial attitudes, and salivary oxytocin dynamics. Compared to the control condition where participants participated as selves, role-play significantly increased perceived levels of positive affect and prosocial attitudes and decreased self-reported levels of anxiety. Basal salivary oxytocin levels predicted gains in positive affect following the role-play procedure. Our study points to standardized role-play as a mean to reduce anxiety, and to increase sociability and positive affect. Possible mechanisms of how role-play induces the observed changes in affect and attitudes are discussed.