Empathy Experts:  Video and Links:  Marco Iacoboni
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Marco Iacoboni
		Neurologist and Neuroscientist at UCLA. Professor, Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences Marco Iacoboni Lab: UCLA Brain Mapping Center : A Systems Neuroscience Lab Professor in Residence: Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior Author: Mirroring People: The New Science of Empathy and How We Connect with Others

2012-01-26 - Marco Iacoboni & Edwin Rutsch: Dialogs on How to Build a Culture of Empathy 

Video Transcriptions: If you would like like to take empathic action and create a transcription of this video, check the volunteers page.  The transcriptions will make it easier for other viewers to quickly see the content of this video.)

(Much gratitude to Barbara Guttman for doing this transcription)

Marco  Iacoboni challenges the traditional Western understanding of human nature as selfish and struggling for surviving and suggests that neurologically and evolutionally we are predispositioned to create empathic connections. Culture of empathy can be increased by: having intention to increase culture empathy, becoming aware about our biological capacity for empathy, creating more emphatic living environment , decreasing the focus on differences and labeling - increasing the focus on us (similarities) , increasing emphatic behavior at governments, leaders and media.

Transcript

0:06 – 1:52 Introduction of Marco  Iacoboni (his work, book, web, research interest)

1:53 – 2:56 Marco introduces the beginning of his research, mirror-neuron cells, brain imaging in UCLA;
 

2:56 – 6:00 Explanation of what mirror-neurons and mirroring are, mirroring as foundation of empathy and connection among people
 

6:00 – 7:27 Marco challenges the traditional teaching claiming that human being are selfish and struggle for survival and suggests that we have natural predisposition to be empathic.
 

7:27 – Science discovered system in brain that makes human empathic , book about this written for wider public
 

8:23 - The fact that we reflect about empathy gives are more capacity to be empathic
 

9:25 – 10:25 difference between Western culture being individualistic and other cultures which are more collectivistic, Eastern philosophy reflects more the connection between self and others.
 

10:25 – 13:11 Just sending the message that we are empathic individuals increases tendency to empathize, empathy is contagious. increasing empathy with others starts with us put  ourselves in other’s shoes
 

13:25 – 18:23 Defining empathy – different forms of empathy – different definition of empathy are all reflecting some aspects of it. Need for taxonomy to support research.

4 types of empathy:

• Self empathy,

• mirroring empathy,

• cognitive empathy,

• action empathy.

18:23 – 19:16 Start with self empathy is western approach, Sense of self is developed through being part of community
 

19:17- 21:00 Need for clear definition of empathy
 

21:00 – 24:22 Way for improving empathy: mirroring, shift belief system from labeling and divide us, and look at others as fellow human beings with same needs. Edwin's experience about becoming empathic with his family members due to paradigm shift.
 

24:23 - 28:00 Government, media and leaders have responsibility to model empathic behavior as a way of increasing culture of empathy.
 

28:00 – 30:55 How intention is the first step for creation of culture of empathy . Need for interdisciplinary collaboration and debated.
 

30:57 - 32:32 Mirror-neurons in a performing arts
 

32:34 - 34:17 Empathy and social structures – empathy can be increased through architecture, classroom and lecture rooms setup
 

34.18 - 39.55 Arts as ways to increase empathy. Dance and mirroring. Body as very basic way to synchronies and empathize. Our ability to to predict where things are going can also increase empathy and synchronization.
 

40.02 – 42.18 - Letting sense of self go and having sense of us is nature of empathy. When we are born we probably have no sense of self til around age 2, only sense of us. Sense of self is created by child’s the interaction with care-givers.
 

42.20 – 44.10 There are two levels of empathy: mirroring (imitating) and controlling levels, (which requires higher level of cognition to imagine what other person may be feeling/seeing)..
 

44.10 metaphors for empathy:
 

46.40 closing up the conversation




 

Panel 003-A: How Can We Build a Culture of Empathy?




2012-01-16 - Are We Wired for Empathy? What do mirror neurons teach about us about our empathy?
What do mirror neurons teach about us about our empathy? This week, leading neuroscientist Marco Iacoboni visited with Six Seconds’ Master Class in Pajaro Dunes, California, for an oceanside chat on mirror neurons and their relationship to empathy and learning. A few of us collected some of the takeaways:
 
What are Mirror Neurons?
Mirror neurons are “smart cells” in our brains that allow us to understand others’ actions, intentions, and feelings. The mirror neurons are in many areas of our brains, and they fire when we perform an action such as grasping an apple, and similarly we see others doing it. As it turns out, our mirror neurons fire when we experience an emotion and similarly when we see others experiencing an emotion, such as happiness, fear, anger, or sadness.



 

Happiness and Its Causes- Conference
Are we wired for empathy? With Dalai Lama

• What accounts for the ability to get inside another person’s head?

• At the heart of being human – how do we create bridges between ourselves and others?
  How do mirror neurons work?

• The implications for learning and social cognition

2011-06-28 - Dalai Lama: Changing our minds for a happier life
Dali Lama talks with Marco Iacoboni about mirror nuerons.

• Video Highlights  watch now

• Video Entire Talk watch now

• Listen to audio [32 Mb]

• Download video (mp4) [195 Mb]

Outline

• 27:20 About the connections of minds through mirror neurons

• About mirror neurons - We are wired for empathy

• We have been told we are selfish minds

• done not fit with experience

• evolution has made us to connect with others

• how they were found

• 28:20 watching actions and doing them the same;

• reaching for water and the intention

• sort of mind reading

• are important for imitation

  • for learning

  • transmission of culture

  • for creating social connection

• That we are selfish beings is wrong. we are build to empathize

• 30:50  Beliefs can separate people

  • we are a global society for empathy

• 31:20 other studies we've done

  • in the brain - see areas - some areas have more of these mirror neurons

  • the more you are empathic the more you activate this region of the brain

• 33:00 with mirror neurons - we are us

  • need to spread the word around

  • could increase our capacity for empathy

• Dali Lama - I believe people are good, you are supporting this.

• Q. If mirror neurons are activated when we feel others suffering?

  • D.L. Lots of complications

  • Marco -  when you travel you become more open minded

  • people change their minds t

• Q. Some people have physical problems with mirror neurons?

  • Marco - many factors for low empathy

    • life experiences - can be taught

    • understand how it works in the brain

• Q.  Extend compassion to animals?

  • Marco - degrees of empathy

    • beings with those like us

    • snakes - move differently

    • this could be over come

    • familiarity make empathy easier

  • can empathize with others who are more like me. gives a physiological understanding

  • intelligence can help - each one does not want to suffer

  • Marco - learn through embodiment

    • embody the concept

    • act out the packet switching - is very effective

    • can do it intellectually

    • mimic  you can fell more of the impact.

• 44:00 Q. Do politicians have empathy?

  • some people lack moral principles

  • science studies reality

  • relationship of Buddhism and science

• Marco - Mirror neurons show our interdependence and eastern philosophy has shown this

 Video talk: mirror neurons, empathy and morality

Fairness and Morality

Marco Iacoboni - Beyond Belief 2008


 

 

	Marco Iacoboni on Empathy and Fairness - Part 1 Mirror Neurons, mirroring, imitation. Studies on monkeys show they value fairness
	Marco Iacoboni on Empathy and Fairness - Part 2
	Marco Iacoboni, a leading neuroscientist on Authors@Google Author: Mirroring People

Autism
 

1. Marco Iacoboni discusses the mirror neuron hypothesis of autism 2. Intersubjectivity and Mirror Neurons