{"id":40757,"date":"2021-06-27T15:25:00","date_gmt":"2021-06-27T19:25:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=40757"},"modified":"2021-07-01T13:25:59","modified_gmt":"2021-07-01T17:25:59","slug":"empathy-neurons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/empathy-neurons\/","title":{"rendered":"Empathy Neurons\u2014Our Brains Have Mirrors"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>What are empathy neurons? How can empathy result in the spread of bad habits? <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mirror neurons are also referred to as empathy neurons and are responsible for keeping track of what others around us do, say, think, feel, and want. This instinct can also cause you to be positively or negatively influenced by those around you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading to learn more about mirror neurons, empathy and influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Social Connections Influence Willpower&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>We think our behaviors are under our own self-control, but we&#8217;re social animals, so we\u2019re also subject to social control. No matter how independent we may think we are, we&#8217;re influenced by the people around us. <strong>Hang out with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/hiring-the-right-people\/\">right people<\/a> and your willpower will increase; <\/strong>hang out with the wrong people and you&#8217;ll give in to temptation more frequently. <strong>&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The research: <\/strong>A 2010 report from the National Bureau of Economic Research showed that one out-of-shape Air Force Academy cadet in a squadron of brand new cadets could bring down the fitness levels of the entire squadron. In other words, physical fitness is contagious\u2014and so is the lack of it. In a much larger study, two scientists examined 32 years of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/healthcare-data\/\">health data<\/a> from more than 12,000 residents of Framingham, Massachusetts. Specifically, they looked at weight gain, and what they discovered was an epidemic. Over time, obesity was spreading within families and groups of friends at an alarming rate. If your friend became obese, your risk of becoming obese increased by 171 percent.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Further analysis revealed that not just weight gain but also excessive alcohol consumption spread through social connections. But there was good news\u2014self-control was also contagious. If a family member gave up cigarettes, their relatives had a much higher chance of doing the same.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Empathy Neurons<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether we like it or not, both good habits and bad habits spread within social and family circles. <strong>Our brains have specialized cells, called mirror neurons or empathy neurons, that keep track of what others around us do, say, think, feel, and want. <\/strong>When we see someone trip and fall, we wince and \u201cfeel their pain\u201d for a moment. It\u2019s because our mirror neurons are creating a theater in which a trip-and-fall play is unfolding, and for a moment, we\u2019re starring in the play. It almost seems like it\u2019s happening to us. Mirror neurons are the basis of our empathy instinct, which makes us understand other people\u2019s feelings.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Our empathy neurons can respond to other\u2019s pain and also to their emotions. <\/strong>This is also why television shows utilize laugh tracks\u2014your empathy neurons will think the show is funnier because we hear other people <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/advantages-of-laughing\/\">laughing<\/a>. But this mimicry of emotions also comes into play when we see others indulging. If you watch your spouse eat a giant bowl of ice cream because he or she has had a hard day, your brain starts craving a reward, too\u2014even if you don\u2019t particularly like ice cream. Your brain is empathizing with the emotional craving that\u2019s occurring in his or her brain\u2014\u201cI had a hard day, so I deserve to eat something delicious.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s also why if you go out to lunch with a friend who orders a glass of wine, you\u2019re more likely to order a glass of wine, too\u2014even if your willpower goal is no alcohol before 6 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The research: <\/strong>Studies have examined what happens in a smoker\u2019s brain when they watch actors in movies smoke cigarettes. The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/what-are-the-regions-of-the-brain\/\">regions of the brain<\/a> that control hand movements actually light up\u2014the brain is preparing the hands to pull out a cigarette and light up. Studies have also shown that gamblers will bet more money after seeing someone else win, and most of us will spend more money when shopping with others and eat more calories when eating with others.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The oddest part of this self-control epidemic is that it isn\u2019t activity-specific. <strong>Any time we see people behaving badly\u2014whether it\u2019s breaking rules, disobeying laws, or just indulging in unhealthy habits\u2014it lowers our self-control.<\/strong> If your friend cheats on their taxes, you may be more likely to cheat on your spouse. If someone paints graffiti on your street, you may be more inclined to litter.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>People You Love Exert the Most Influence<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Not surprisingly, the people you know and love are bigger influences on your behavior than strangers. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/social-epidemic\/\">Social epidemics<\/a> spread most aggressively through friend and family networks<\/strong>. In other words, you probably won\u2019t \u201ccatch\u201d a behavior from your neighbor or co-worker, but you might from a close friend or a sibling. That\u2019s because our brains view people whom we love and cherish as not entirely separate from us. When our brains consider who we are, we include our friends and family in that picture. In a way, they\u2019re part of our sense of self.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Willpower Hack: Mirror Your Own Goals, Not Someone Else\u2019s&nbsp;<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Since we can\u2019t give up all of our social interactions, we must learn to dispel or at least diminish others\u2019 influence on our behavior. Here\u2019s one technique to help you stay focused on your goals: At the start of each day, spend a few minutes <a href=\"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/how-to-focus-on-your-goals\/\">focusing on your goals<\/a>. Consider the various temptations you face\u2014especially social influences\u2014that can dissuade you from pursuing them. Use this focusing time to become more self-aware and reinforce your resolve.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What are empathy neurons? How can empathy result in the spread of bad habits? Mirror neurons are also referred to as empathy neurons and are responsible for keeping track of what others around us do, say, think, feel, and want. This instinct can also cause you to be positively or negatively influenced by those around you. Keep reading to learn more about mirror neurons, empathy and influence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":22993,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[9,160,24],"tags":[405],"class_list":["post-40757","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-psychology","category-science","category-society","tag-the-willpower-instinct","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Empathy Neurons\u2014Our Brains Have Mirrors - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Mirror neurons, also known as empathy neurons, are the reason we can feel somebody else&#039;s pain when they fall. 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