Diana Fabiola, Kret Mariska E
Department of Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, Leiden 2333 AK, Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, Leiden 2333 AK, Netherlands.
Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2025 Jan;168:105950. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105950. Epub 2024 Nov 21.
Automatic mimicry, where social animals mimic the emotional expressions of others, is a well-documented phenomenon. While research has extensively examined how being mimicked influences our perception of others, the fundamental question of why we mimic remains largely unexplored. Previous theories often link mimicry with an affiliative social goal. While we agree that mimicry can increase survival chances by enhancing group cohesion, we argue for a more primitive adaptive value that may operate independently of social bonding. By reviewing existing literature, we propose that mimicry serves as a mechanism to predict other individuals, and consequently, the environment, enhancing survival of the individual. We posit a shift towards understanding mimicry as a mechanism that minimizes prediction error, empowering individuals to navigate their surroundings more effectively. Embracing mimicry as a tool for self-preservation and environmental prediction opens new avenues for interdisciplinary research in comparative psychology and behavioral ecology.
自动模仿，即群居动物模仿其他个体的情感表达，是一个有充分文献记载的现象。虽然研究已经广泛探讨了被模仿如何影响我们对他人的认知，但我们为何会模仿这一基本问题在很大程度上仍未得到探索。以往的理论常常将模仿与一种亲和的社会目标联系起来。虽然我们认同模仿可以通过增强群体凝聚力来提高生存几率，但我们主张一种更原始的适应性价值，这种价值可能独立于社会联系而发挥作用。通过回顾现有文献，我们提出模仿是一种预测其他个体以及进而预测环境的机制，从而提高个体的生存能力。我们假定应将模仿理解为一种能使预测误差最小化的机制，使个体能够更有效地在周围环境中活动。将模仿视为自我保护和环境预测的工具，为比较心理学和行为生态学的跨学科研究开辟了新途径。
