Affective Simulation, Imitation, and the Motor Mirror System

In the first part of this paper I draw a comparison between the phenomenon of affective simulation and the process of mirroring believed to involve the motor system. By analyzing both the similarities and the differences I set out to explain what the motor mirror system might be for. The idea that motor mirroring is simply a species of embodied simulation was mainstream when the mirror neurons seemed to be too limited in scope to underpin imitation. By the end of the paper I come to suggest that learning and genuine cases of transfer of skill provide better candidates for the main function of the motor mirror system.