镜像神经元:基于联想学习理论的视角

Mirror Neurons: A Perspective from Associative Learning Theory

镜像神经元的出现为解释人类诸如行为理解、移情等社会行为提供了依据,但是关于它的来源却争论不休。联想学习理论简明直接地解释了人类和猴子之间镜像神经元的差异;指出镜像神经元不仅仅在行为理解中起着主要作用,也是一系列社会认知功能产生的根源;更为重要的是,联想学习理论提出镜像神经元可以通过感知运动学习来塑造和调整,而感知运动学习主要通过与他人的互动获得,这一结论强调了感知运动的重要性,为个体移情、行为理解等社会功能的塑造和增强开辟了一个新的研究视角。

The appearance of mirror neurons provides the basis to explain human social behavior such as behavior understanding, empa- thy. But debates about origin of mirror neurons are continuing. Associative learning theory explains the differences between human and monkey straightforward, points out mirror neurons not only plays an important part in behavior understanding but also the basis of human social function. More importantly, the associative learning theory argues the mirror neurons can be shaped and adjusted by sensormotor learning that obtained through the interaction with others, which stress the importance of sensorimotor experience, and provides a new perspective on study of enhancement of human social functions such as empathy.