The DOI matches its Crossref record; 171 of the 172 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Intentional Attunement: Mirror Neurons and the Neural Underpinnings of Interpersonal Relations
Abstract
The neural circuits activated in a person carrying out actions, expressing emotions, and experiencing sensations are activated also, automatically via a mirror neuron system, in the observer of those actions, emotions, and sensations. It is proposed that this finding of shared activation suggests a functional mechanism of “embodied simulation” that consists of the automatic, unconscious, and noninferential simulation in the observer of actions, emotions, and sensations carried out and experienced by the observed. It is proposed also that the shared neural activation pattern and the accompanying embodied simulation constitute a fundamental biological basis for understanding another's mind. The implications of this perspective for psychoanalysis are discussed, particularly regarding unconscious communication, projective identification, attunement, empathy, autism, therapeutic action, and transference-countertransference interactions.
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“Thus, the present data may suggest reduced functional output of mirror neuron regions or decreased hemispheric cross-talk between mirror neuron regions. In turn, reduced output or cross-talk of these regions may contribute to reduced attunement to others’ intentions (56).”
From A Meta-Analysis of the Corpus Callosum in Autism (2009) · cites this paper as [56]
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Metadata
- Authors
- Gallese, V., Eagle, M. N., & Migone, P.
- Affiliations
- Department of Neuroscience University of Parma Via Volturno, 39 43100 Parma ITALY,
- Adelphi University (US)
- University of Parma (IT)
- Corresponding author
- Eagle, Morris N.
- Migone, Paolo
- Venue
- Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-03
- Volume
- 55
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 131-175
- ISSN
- 0003-0651 (ISSN-L)
- 1941-2460
- OpenAlex
- W2114224919
- Cited by
- 496
- References
- 172
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 12 · 2022: 15 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 31 · 2019: 25 · 2018: 22 · 2017: 30 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 27 · 2014: 53 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 53
- FWCI
- 41.20
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychoanalysis and Psychopathology Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Embodied and Extended Cognition
- Keywords
- mirror neurons, mirror neuron system, embodied simulation, interpersonal relationships, attunement, empathy, projective identification, unconscious communication, autism spectrum disorder, transference-countertransference, psychoanalytic theory
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Animals, Haplorhini, Behavior, Animal, Communication, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Nerve Net, Psychoanalytic Therapy, Sensation, Transference, Psychology, Unconscious, Psychology, Visual Perception, Evoked Potentials, Motor, Intention
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