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Higher-level processes in the formation and application of associations during action understanding

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2014

Lieke Heil ,
Stan van Pelt ,
Johan Kwisthout ,
Iris van Rooij  and
Harold Bekkering
Lieke Heil
Affiliation:
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands. l.heil@donders.ru.nls.vanpelt@donders.ru.nlj.kwisthout@donders.ru.nli.vanrooij@donders.ru.nlh.bekkering@donders.ru.nlhttp://www.ru.nl/donders/
Stan van Pelt
Affiliation:
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands. l.heil@donders.ru.nls.vanpelt@donders.ru.nlj.kwisthout@donders.ru.nli.vanrooij@donders.ru.nlh.bekkering@donders.ru.nlhttp://www.ru.nl/donders/
Johan Kwisthout
Affiliation:
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands. l.heil@donders.ru.nls.vanpelt@donders.ru.nlj.kwisthout@donders.ru.nli.vanrooij@donders.ru.nlh.bekkering@donders.ru.nlhttp://www.ru.nl/donders/
Iris van Rooij
Affiliation:
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands. l.heil@donders.ru.nls.vanpelt@donders.ru.nlj.kwisthout@donders.ru.nli.vanrooij@donders.ru.nlh.bekkering@donders.ru.nlhttp://www.ru.nl/donders/
Harold Bekkering
Affiliation:
Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6500 HE Nijmegen, The Netherlands. l.heil@donders.ru.nls.vanpelt@donders.ru.nlj.kwisthout@donders.ru.nli.vanrooij@donders.ru.nlh.bekkering@donders.ru.nlhttp://www.ru.nl/donders/
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Abstract

The associative account described in the target article provides a viable explanation for the origin of mirror neurons. We argue here that if mirror neurons develop purely by associative learning, then they cannot by themselves explain intentional action understanding. Higher-level processes seem to be involved in the formation of associations as well as in their application during action understanding.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 37 , Issue 2 , April 2014 , pp. 202 - 203
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2014 

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References

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