Patients with schizophrenia have impaired ability to imitate, brain mapping confirms

News
1

According to George Bernard Shaw, “Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery – it’s the sincerest form of learning.” According to psychologists, imitation is something that we all do whenever we learn a new skill, whether it is dancing or how to behave in specific social situations.

Now, the results of a brain-mapping experiment conducted by a team of neuroscientists at Vanderbilt University strengthen the theory that an impaired ability to imitate may underlie the profound and enduring difficulty with social interactions that characterize schizophrenia. In a paper published online on Mar. 14 by the American Journal of Psychiatry, the researchers report that when patients with schizophrenia were asked to imitate simple hand movements, their brains exhibited abnormal brain activity in areas associated with the ability to imitate.

“The fact that patients with schizophrenia show abnormal brain activity when they imitate simple hand gestures is important because action imitation is a primary building block of social abilities,” said first author Katharine Thakkar, who conducted much of the research while completing her doctoral program at Vanderbilt and is now a post-doctoral fellow at the University Medical Center in Utrecht. “The ability to imitate is present early in life and is crucial for learning how to navigate the social world. According to current theory, covert imitation is also the most fundamental way that we understand the intentions and feelings of other people.”

1 Like
2

Well at least I never have to worry about being original…

3

Going back in time, when mankind was much more primitive, man was much closer in behavior to the monkey see monkey do type behavior.

Thus today, those whom are still somewhat primitive, are those that do well and fit in well in society by imitating the behavior of others.

However, those whom are a little bit further along in evolution, tend to have difficulty when dealing with such matters. As a result of this, it is said that they are impaired. Such people don’t just accept without questioning what ever it is that they are “Supposed” to do to fit in within society. They learn in a cautious manner. This takes time. As a result of this slow process, it is said that they are impaired.

Thus those who quickly mimic the actions of others, and thus do not wisely take consequences into account, are presently governing the globe.

Those who take slow cautious steps in life, and thus in turn do take consequences into account, are again currently viewed as being impaired.

Cautiousness is still outnumbered by the act of everyone keeping up with everyone else.

And so the point is, the outcome of taking another step in evolution is still perceived as being a form of mental impairment.

However, if you are good at swinging from branch to branch in the trees, you will be accepted within today’s society.

Whatever is practiced by the majority is considered to be “normal”. Thus any advancement a minority has taken beyond the “normal”, is classified as “abnormal”, and when it is said that someones brain activity is “abnormal” people in general still tend to think that this abnormality means error.

Thus today, any advancement in the functioning of the brain is classified as nothing but some kind of defect.

Thus if you have an impaired ability to imitate, due to being further displaced from mere monkey behavior than the majority of mankind currently is, it will be said that there is something wrong with you whether that is the case, or not.

4

According to George Bernard Shaw, “Imitation is not just the sincerest form of flattery – it’s the sincerest form of learning.” According to psychologists, imitation is something that we all do whenever we learn a new skill, whether it is dancing or how to behave in specific social situations.

Now, the results of a brain-mapping experiment conducted by a team of neuroscientists at Vanderbilt University strengthen the theory that an impaired ability to imitate may underlie the profound and enduring difficulty with social interactions that characterize schizophrenia. In a paper published online on Mar. 14 by the American Journal of Psychiatry, the researchers report that when patients with schizophrenia were asked to imitate simple hand movements, their brains exhibited abnormal brain activity in areas associated with the ability to imitate.

“The fact that patients with schizophrenia show abnormal brain activity when they imitate simple hand gestures is important because action imitation is a primary building block of social abilities,” said first author Katharine Thakkar, who conducted much of the research while completing her doctoral program at Vanderbilt and is now a post-doctoral fellow at the University Medical Center in Utrecht. “The ability to imitate is present early in life and is crucial for learning how to navigate the social world. According to current theory, covert imitation is also the most fundamental way that we understand the intentions and feelings of other people.”
[/quote]

5

Imitation is the sincerest form of copying.

Learning should be defined as a whole new kettle of fish.

Leaning is defined as the acquiring of knowledge, understanding, and behavior.

Doing so with intelligence removed, equals imitation.

Thus folk who have a difficulty suppressing their intelligence, will also have difficulty imitating.