Being mimicked affects inhibitory mechanisms of imitation

Rauchbauer, Birgit; Dunbar, Robin; Lamm, Claus

doi:10.1016/j.actpsy.2020.103132

Cited by 10 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 74 publications

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“…Its positive effects on prosocial behavior extend to an unknown experimenter, charities 3,4,30 , and strangers 31 . Recently we found no relation of being mimicked and empathy-related traits (perspective taking) on social closeness to the confederate (i.e., interaction partner) measured via a rating scale 32 . In this article, we use interpersonal space 33 as a measure of closeness.…”

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confidence: 77%

Only empathy-related traits, not being mimicked or endorphin release, influence social closeness and prosocial behavior

Rauchbauer

Jank

Dunbar

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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Seminal studies suggest that being mimicked increases experienced social closeness and prosocial behavior to a mimicking confederate (i.e., interaction partner). Here we reexamine these results by considering the role of empathy-related traits, an indirect proxy for endorphin uptake, and their combined effects as an explanation for these results. 180 female participants were mimicked or anti-mimicked in an interaction with a confederate. The effects of being mimicked versus anti-mimicked in relation to empathy-related traits and endorphin release (assessed indirectly via pain tolerance) on experienced closeness and prosocial behavior were assessed using Bayesian analyses. Our results suggest that high individual empathy-related traits increase social closeness to the anti-mimicking and mimicking confederate and to one’s romantic partner, as compared to mimicry alone. Results furthermore strongly suggest that high individual empathy-related traits increase prosocial behavior (donations and willingness to help) as compared to mimicry alone. These findings extend previous work by highlighting that empathy-related traits are more influential in creating positive effects on social closeness and prosocial behavior than a one-shot mimicking encounter.

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confidence: 77%

Only empathy-related traits, not being mimicked or endorphin release, influence social closeness and prosocial behavior

Rauchbauer

Jank

Dunbar

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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“…( Cracco and Brass, 2019 ; Ramsey, 2018 ). While mimicry and automatic imitation may not be correlated ( Genschow et al, 2017 ), being mimicked may reduce inhibitory mechanisms of automatic imitation ( Rauchbauer et al, 2020 ), potentially indicating an interrelationship between the two phenomena. In any case, automatic imitation tasks allow investigators to test a variety of modulatory factors in controlled settings using both behavioral and neuroscientific methods.…”

Section: Scope Definitions and Why Study Interpersonal Motor Alignmementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Similarly, the choice of control condition in a mimicry or synchrony induction could potentially influence social-cognitive variables. While prominent studies on mimicry have used control conditions without any movement (e.g., Chartrand and Bargh, 1999 ; Van Baaren et al, 2004 ), other studies have used Anti-Mimicry conditions ( Dalton et al, 2010 ; Finkel et al, 2006 ; Kühn et al, 2010 ; Rauchbauer et al, 2020 ). In an Anti-Mimicry control condition, the confederate’s movements will be topographically misaligned to the participant’s, as compared to the Mimicry condition in which they are aligned.…”

Section: Scope Definitions and Why Study Interpersonal Motor Alignmementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the mechanisms by which mimicry and synchrony may induce positive social-cognitive effects may not be entirely clear yet and lead to divergent results. As such, it has recently been suggested that being mimicked by topographically isomorph postures as compared to an Anti-Mimicry condition, does not influence experienced social cohesion with the confederate, measured with a rating scale ( Rauchbauer et al, 2020 ). Thus, there are certain contradictions in the literature of interpersonal motor alignment, which may require in-depth analysis.…”

Section: Scope Definitions and Why Study Interpersonal Motor Alignmementioning

confidence: 99%

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Developmental trajectory of interpersonal motor alignment: Positive social effects and link to social cognition

Rauchbauer

Grosbras

2020

Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews

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Highlights Interpersonal motor alignment (IMA) has positive effects on healthy social life. IMA - mimicry, synchrony, automatic imitation - is studied throughout development. It relies on motor resonance brain mechanisms identified throughout development. It is modulated by contextual and personal factors. IMA is underinvestigated in adolescence, yet it may aid to enhance resilience.

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“…There are only some investigations suggesting a relation between free will beliefs and pro-social attitudes (Baumeister et al, 2009;Vohs & Schooler, 2008)-a link that does not seem to be very stable as several failed attempts in replicating this basic idea indicate (Crone & Levy, 2019;Nadelhoffer et al, 2020). Moreover, as recent research has shown that a focus on the self is not as strongly related to automatic imitation as this has been previously assumed (Khemka et al, 2021;Rauchbauer et al, 2020), we regard the alternative explanation that a focus on the self counteracted our assumed effect as rather unlikely. Nevertheless, future research may aim to test the link between free will beliefs, self-other focus and automatic imitation.…”

Section: Potential Reasons For the Null Findingmentioning

confidence: 97%

Imitation and interindividual differences: Belief in free will is not related to automatic imitation

Westfal¹,

Crusius²,

Genschow³

2021

Preprint

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It is well known that individuals have the tendency to automatically imitate each other and that such imitative behavior is fostered by perceiving intentions in others’ actions. That is, past research has shown that perceiving an action as internally driven enhances the shared representation of observed and executed actions increasing automatic imitation. An interpersonal factor that increases the perception that a behavior is internally driven is belief in free will. Consequently, we hypothesized that the more individuals believe in free will, the more they automatically imitate others. To test this prediction, we conducted two high-powered (total N = 642) and preregistered studies in which we assessed automatic imitation with the imitation-inhibition task. Contrary to our predictions, belief in free will did not correlate with automatic imitation. This finding contributes to current findings challenging the assumption that automatic imitation is modulated by interindividual differences. Further theoretical implications are discussed.

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Being mimicked affects inhibitory mechanisms of imitation

Cited by 10 publications

References 74 publications

Only empathy-related traits, not being mimicked or endorphin release, influence social closeness and prosocial behavior

Only empathy-related traits, not being mimicked or endorphin release, influence social closeness and prosocial behavior

Developmental trajectory of interpersonal motor alignment: Positive social effects and link to social cognition

Imitation and interindividual differences: Belief in free will is not related to automatic imitation

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