Mirror Neurons and Social Work?

Mirror neurons – recently discovered neurons in the brain that fire in the same way when we are both doing a task and when we are watching someone else do the same task. The firing of these particular neurons allows us to have the same experience as the person doing the task. In addition the firing of this particular neuron teaches us how to perform the task. To more fully understand what I am writing about I urge you to watch the video on mirror neurons at the PBS – Nova site:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3204/01.html

In other words it is one of the most basic social neurons that have been discovered to date. In order to survive alone, a person needs neurons that allow us to perceive and respond to the world around us but there is no need for the mirror neuron unless there are other people present. These neurons allow us to perceive (an aspect of mind reading) what other people are feeling and thinking (to a degree), and have the same experience ourselves. The video said mirror neuron development may be one of the basic factors that separate us from the animals and contribute to the high levels of communication that take place between human beings.

Why is understanding mirror neurons important to social work? My perspective on social work is that the work is basically about reducing and hopefully relieving suffering. I find that the work is spiritual, practical, altruistic, and meaningful – and highly important to our success as social beings. If mirror neurons are one of the basic building blocks to human social behavior how can that knowledge move us toward less suffering?

A person watches sports and feels surges of adrenaline in his or her body and actually experiences winning or losing the game. A person watches a child playing in a lawn sprinkler and experiences the drops of cool water on their skin. A group of children watch a group of adults working together and learn how people can work as a team.

A boy watches his father drink and physically abuse his mother and learns how to treat women. A girl watches other girls and learns that having a boyfriend is the best way for her to feel good about herself. A man learns how to steal when he is in jail with other people who steal things (sic).

To my way of thinking, social work has a lot to do with changing how people perceive the world and what they have come to understand about how to live in the world. Much of what people learn comes from their family culture – the people they grow up with. The discovery of mirror neurons is simply more evidence of the importance of creating and supporting health living environments. Many people understand that we learn from each other but I am under the impression that most people don’t realize the degree to which the environment we place ourselves in affects our world view and the decisions we make. Cultures of tolerance and compassion come from living in a culture of tolerance and understanding.

I have heard for years that simply watching violence on television or in a video game does not result in more violent children. I beg to differ. If we are watching and/or participating in violence through games every day for hours (not unusual for many children) violence become our world view. Later in life, a person in the army may operate a drone from some remote location destroying people and villages then go in to eat supper and watch Seinfeld on TV. She/he has learned from childhood how to live in the world. Destroying things and people becomes a normal part of our lives.

This understanding on my part again underscores the importance of social workers and other human service workers to work toward creating environments that support the world we want to live in. The discovery of mirror neurons simply increases our understanding about how that happens. While toys are often ways that children learn about how to talk about and express their feelings, it is our task to provide balance through healthy interaction with adults and other children. If a family or person is in crisis how can we respond and create an experience of strength and understanding. We all know that if we, as a crisis responder, walk into a situation calm and competent, people in the situation often respond in kind. In other words “You must be the change you want to see in the world” (Mahatma Gandhi)