[Brain Science x Body Theory vol.20] Where is the boundary between "me" and "you"? The mechanism by which the brain synchronizes with the minds of others
Hello, this is Logical PT.
Previously, I talked about how the brain treats tools as if they were part of our own body (body extension). However, the brain's capabilities don't stop there. We possess a mysterious ability to simulate even the bodies of others who are not ourselves as if they were our own.
Why do our palms sweat when the protagonist of a movie is in a pinch? Why, when carrying a load with someone else, do we get in sync without using words?
This time, I will logically unravel the "social boundaries" of the brain, which allow us to leap over the shell of "self" and connect with others.
1. The ability to find "me" in the mirror
Many animals think their reflection in a mirror is "another individual" and will attack or run away. However, humans (and some primates) can recognize their reflection as "me".
This is proof that the brain is equipped with a "perspective to view oneself objectively". Because we have this perspective, we can imagine "how we appear in the eyes of others" and change our behavior within society.
2. The brain's switch for swapping "perspectives"
Even while sitting still, we can imagine, "What if I were in the position of that person standing over there?" This is called "perspective-taking".
Inside the brain, there is a place like a switch that instantly toggles between our own perspective and the perspective of others.
Self-perspective: Sensations of one's own body (information from the inside)
Other-perspective: Information from viewing the movements of others from the outside
By flexibly toggling this switch, we can maintain the boundary of "self" while feeling the "pain" or "joy" of the other person as if it were our own (the mechanism of empathy).
3. The moment of becoming "two as one": The brain science of collaboration
What is interesting is that when you are working on a task with someone else, the brain's boundaries become even more blurred.
When two people carry a heavy table, if the other person applies force, you unconsciously ease up on your own. Even without verbal instructions, both brains are rewriting their maps as "one large body combining the two individuals".
In rehabilitation settings as well, when a physical therapist touches a patient's body, a shared bodily sensation is born that transcends the "therapist's body" and the "patient's body." This ability to synchronize with others is the greatest reason why humans have been able to build a highly cooperative society.
4. "Confusion between self and other" seen in clinical practice
Occasionally, we encounter cases where the boundary between self and other collapses due to brain damage, such as feeling as though one is being touched when someone else is actually being touched.
This teaches us how precise the information processing (distinguishing between self and other) is that the brain performs to maintain the outline of "me." It is precisely because our sense of "self" is firm that we can empathize with others and help each other appropriately.Knowing oneself is the first step to knowing others.
Summary: It is because there are boundaries that we can connect
The existence of "me" does not mean being inside a lonely fortress.
Try looking at yourself objectively, as if looking in a mirror.
Try standing in someone else's shoes, as if wearing them.
The brain attempts to perceive the world more richly by intentionally placing the boundary between self and other within a state of "fluctuation." Today, when you interact with someone, try to pay a little attention to how your brain is reacting to that person's movements and mind. There, you should find an expanded "me" that you could never experience alone.