Define mirror neurons. Briefly explain how they were discovered and what researchers have linked them to.

Answer:

Mirror neurons are nerve cells that fire both when an individual performs an action and when the individual observes someone else performing a similar action. They were discovered in monkeys when researchers noticed that neurons in the premotor cortex fired while the monkey watched an experimenter grasp food. Researchers have linked them to imitation, understanding others’ actions and intentions, empathy, language development, and social learning.