Chapter 6 is largely about the ways in which humans and animals learn. One way in which people and animals learn is by watching and then repeating what they see. I found it interesting that neuroscientists recently have started to locate the foundations of this skill. They have found in monkeys, groups of neurons in the prefrontal cortex that become active when one monkey watches another perform a skill. Neuroscientists call these cells mirror neurons because they are the same cells that would have activated if the monkey had done the skill. The mirror neurons seem to become active only when an action is witnessed, and they seem to be set to react to precise behaviors.
Scientists have found a similar system in humans but are not yet able to identify individual mirror neurons. No one knows exactly what these neurons do or why we have them, but some neuroscientists have guessed that the neurons play a key role in empathy, including experiencing someone else's emotional state as well as emulating their movements. The discovery of mirror neurons may provide important insights into how humans and animals learn from others.
Great post. Nice quick review of the general chapter and good job picking a point that was interesting to you. For next time try putting a few more of your thoughts into the post but again, good job.