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Cited by 2,236Action Observation and SynchronizationFace Recognition and PerceptionEmbodied and Extended Cognition

A unifying view of the basis of social cognition

GALLESE, V, KEYSERS, C, RIZZOLATTI, G·2004·Trends in Cognitive Sciences
DOI 10.1016/j.tics.2004.07.002
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Abstract

In this article we provide a unifying neural hypothesis on how individuals understand the actions and emotions of others. Our main claim is that the fundamental mechanism at the basis of the experiential understanding of others' actions is the activation of the mirror neuron system. A similar mechanism, but involving the activation of viscero-motor centers, underlies the experiential understanding of the emotions of others.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.tics.2004.07.002

Cites

62 of 62 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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  • This is an implicit, automatic system providing physical other-to-self and self-to-other mapping, which is involved in the immediate understanding or misunderstanding of self and others.

    “This is an implicit, automatic system, providing physical other to self and self to other mapping, which is involved in the immediate understanding (or misunderstanding) of self and others.”

    From A developmental, mentalization-based approach to the understanding and treatment of borderline personality disorder (2009) · cites this paper as Gallese, Keysers, & Rizzolatti, 2004

  • This process is thought to be one of the key evolutionary mechanisms underpinning social empathy: knowing from the inside how someone else feels.

    “This is thought to be one of the key evolutionary mechanisms underpinning social empathy: knowing from the inside how someone else feels.”

    From A developmental, mentalization-based approach to the understanding and treatment of borderline personality disorder (2009) · cites this paper as Gallese, Keysers, & Rizzolatti, 2004

  • A fundamental process that allows us to appreciate the actions and emotions of others involves the activation of the mirror neuron system for actions and the activation of visceromotor centers for the understanding of affect.

    “This suggests that a fundamental process that allows us to appreciate the actions and emotions of others involves the activation of the mirror neuron system for actions and the activation of visceromotor centers for the understanding of affect.”

    From A developmental, mentalization-based approach to the understanding and treatment of borderline personality disorder (2009) · cites this paper as Gallese, Keysers, & Rizzolatti, 2004

  • The first shared system involves a more body-based, frontoparietal mirror neuron system involved in understanding the multimodal embodied self and understanding others through motor-simulation mechanisms.

    “The first system involves a more body-based, frontoparietal mirror neuron system that is involved in understanding the multimodal embodied self (e.g., face and body recognition) and understanding others through motor-simulation mechanisms”

    From A developmental, mentalization-based approach to the understanding and treatment of borderline personality disorder (2009) · cites this paper as Gallese, Keysers, & Rizzolatti, 2004

  • Mirror neurons in the motor and associative cortex of humans and monkeys discharge not only when specific actions are executed, but also when these same actions are observed in other animals or humans.

    “Mirror neurons in the motor and associative cortex of humans and monkeys discharge not only when specific actions are executed, but also when these same actions are observed in other animals or humans [Gallese et al., 2004; Keysers and Perrett, 2004].”

    From Social cognition and the brain: A meta-analysis (2009) · cites this paper as Gallese et al., 2004

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Authors
GALLESE, V, KEYSERS, C., & RIZZOLATTI, G.
Affiliations
University of Parma (IT)
Corresponding author
RIZZOLATTI, G
ORCID
Venue
Trends in Cognitive Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2004-09
Volume
8
Issue
9
Pages
396-403
ISSN
1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.tics.2004.07.002
OpenAlex
W2025642716
Cited by
2,236
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 34 · 2025: 49 · 2024: 54 · 2023: 61 · 2022: 71 · 2021: 78 · 2020: 123 · 2019: 105 · 2018: 92 · 2017: 96 · 2016: 131 · 2015: 117 · 2014: 105 · 2013: 126 · 2012: 158
FWCI
119.59
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.elsevier.com/tdm/userlicense/1.0/ (tdm)
Locations
  • Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • European Science Foundation
  • Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Face Recognition and Perception
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Embodied and Extended Cognition
Keywords
social cognition, mirror neuron system, theory of mind, emotional understanding, action understanding, neural basis of social cognition, experiential understanding
MeSH terms
Affect, Amygdala, Animals, Haplorhini, Behavior, Animal, Brain, Cerebral Cortex, Cognition, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Neurons, Psychomotor Performance, Social Behavior, Social Perception

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