Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Nonconscious Mimicry01:13

Nonconscious Mimicry

3.6K
Nonconscious mimicry occurs when individuals alter their mannerisms to match the behaviors and expressions of those nearby, without intention.
3.6K
Observational Learning01:12

Observational Learning

1.5K
Albert Bandura's observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when a person observes and imitates another's behavior. It is a quicker process than operant conditioning. A well-known example is the Bobo doll study, where children who saw an adult acting aggressively towards the doll were more likely to act aggressively when left alone, compared to those who observed a nonaggressive adult. Many psychologists view observational learning as a form of latent learning...
1.5K
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping02:05

Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

36.2K
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about...
36.2K
The Looking Glass Self01:28

The Looking Glass Self

668
The concept of the looking-glass self describes how an individual's self-concept is shaped by their perception of how others see them. This psychological theory, first introduced by sociologist Charles Horton Cooley in 1902, posits that self-identity emerges in a social context and is influenced by the judgments—real or imagined—of others.Research suggests that individuals frequently overestimate how positively others perceive them. This is particularly evident in physical...
668
Social Facilitation01:04

Social Facilitation

29.0K
Not all intergroup interactions lead to negative outcomes. Sometimes, being in a group situation can improve performance. Social facilitation occurs when an individual performs better when an audience is watching than when the individual performs the behavior alone. This typically occurs when people are performing a task for which they are skilled.
29.0K
Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other01:20

Social Foundations of Self II: The Generalized Other

463
According to George Herbert Mead, as children progress beyond the game stage, they develop a more comprehensive understanding of societal rules and norms. This cognitive and social development enables them to internalize the expectations of the broader community, refining their ability to regulate behavior.Consistent participation in organized activities is crucial in helping children recognize that their actions are not isolated but contribute to a more significant, interconnected group...
463

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Vocal laughter punctuates speech and manual signing: Novel evidence for similar linguistic and neurological mechanisms.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2018
Same author

Philosopher's disease and its antidote: Perspectives from prenatal behavior and contagious yawning and laughing.

The Behavioral and brain sciences·2018
Same author

Laughter as an approach to vocal evolution: The bipedal theory.

Psychonomic bulletin & review·2016
Same author

Laughter as a scientific problem: An adventure in sidewalk neuroscience.

The Journal of comparative neurology·2015
Same author

Funny science: review: ha! The science of when we laugh and why and the humor code: a global search for what makes things funny.

Cerebrum : the Dana forum on brain science·2015
Same author

Binocular symmetry/asymmetry of scleral redness as a cue for sadness, healthiness, and attractiveness in humans.

Evolutionary psychology : an international journal of evolutionary approaches to psychology and behavior·2013

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 30, 2026

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
04:51

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae

Published on: July 8, 2025

942

Contagious behavior: an alternative approach to mirror-like phenomena.

Robert R Provine1

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250. provine@umbc.edu.

The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|April 30, 2014
PubMed
Summary

Contagious behaviors like yawning and scratching show mirror-like properties, offering insights into social behavior and mirror neurons. Studying these common actions challenges current theories of mirror mechanisms.

More Related Videos

A Laboratory Method to Measure Contagious Yawning in Rats
06:49

A Laboratory Method to Measure Contagious Yawning in Rats

Published on: June 14, 2019

6.7K
Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
06:53

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

13.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 30, 2026

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae
04:51

A Modified Mirror Test as a Visual Guide for the Self-awareness Trait in Wild Antarctica Penguins, Pygoscelis adeliae

Published on: July 8, 2025

942
A Laboratory Method to Measure Contagious Yawning in Rats
06:49

A Laboratory Method to Measure Contagious Yawning in Rats

Published on: June 14, 2019

6.7K
Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation
06:53

Creating Virtual-hand and Virtual-face Illusions to Investigate Self-representation

Published on: March 1, 2017

13.7K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Behavioral Science
  • Social Cognition

Background:

  • Contagious behaviors, such as yawning and scratching, exhibit properties similar to those studied in mirror neuron research.
  • These behaviors possess well-defined stimulus and motor parameters, making them amenable to scientific investigation.
  • Understanding contagious behaviors is crucial for advancing the debate on mirror neurons and the neurological underpinnings of social interaction.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the significance of contagious behaviors in the context of mirror neuron research.
  • To propose that contagious behaviors should be integrated into discussions about the neural mechanisms of social behavior.
  • To challenge existing mirror mechanism theories by examining the broadly tuned, multimodal stimuli involved in contagious behaviors.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of stimulus and motor parameters of contagious behaviors (yawning, itching/scratching).
  • Comparison of observed characteristics with current mirror neuron system theories.
  • Evaluation of the multimodal and broadly tuned nature of stimuli in contagious behaviors.

Main Results:

  • Contagious behaviors demonstrate clear mirror-like properties and defined parameters suitable for study.
  • The multimodal and broadly tuned nature of stimuli in contagious behaviors presents a challenge to existing mirror mechanism models.
  • These behaviors offer a valuable, accessible model for exploring social cognition and neural mirroring.

Conclusions:

  • Contagious behaviors are essential components for understanding mirror neurons and social neurological mechanisms.
  • Current mirror mechanism theories need to accommodate the complexities of broadly tuned, multimodal stimuli found in contagious behaviors.
  • Further research into contagious behaviors will refine our understanding of social mirroring and its neural basis.