What Dementia Teaches Us About Human Behavior
The difficulties — and power — of “mirroring”
If you’ve ever visited a loved one in a nursing facility where the majority of residents suffer from dementia, you’ll notice one thing very quickly.
If you approach a person suffering from dementia with an upbeat demeanor, they will almost always respond to you in a similar manner.
Likewise, if you show your frustration or anger with them (and, believe me, dementia can cause the gentlest of people to act out in ways you would never have previously believed), they will almost immediately become angry with you.
This behavior is known as “mirroring.” And it can make interacting with anyone — not only those suffering with dementia — difficult.
The great news is that you can also learn to use mirroring to your (and others’) very great benefit.
What is “mirroring”?
The more formal name for behavioral mirroring is “limbic symphony,” and it simply means that one person is imitating or returning (“mirroring”) another person’s body language, speech dynamics, and facial expressions.
Mirroring may look like you’re simply copying another’s behavior or mannerisms, but the goal of it is to improve all aspects of…
