To Identify With His Idol: The Work Of Mirror Neurons

Followers have existed from the beginning. There have always been leaders or figures who captivate other people and have many followers. These followers follow them, admire them and can sometimes be able to make great sacrifices for them. Neuroscience has discovered that followers are allowed to identify with their idols thanks to the mirror neurons.

The big difference between today’s followers and those from older times is the total number of audiences and characteristics of the idols. In those days, not even the greatest of leaders around the world had followers. There was no possibility that it would happen. Today, however, it is relatively common for a celebrity to be globally popular.

In addition, a leader or figure used to have to have exceptional qualities to become famous. This is not the case today. People who are relatively mediocre can become extremely famous thanks to the media and publicity. Why is this happening? We find the answer in part in the mirror neurons.

A follower is a person who admires someone else and gradually begins to identify with his “idol”. This identification process reaches a point where followers feel that everything that happens to their idol affects them personally.

Such fan loyalty is based on the fact that the idol has extraordinary qualities or succeeds in unusual feats. In the past, only political, religious, or artistic leaders possessed such devotion. Today, pretty much anyone who reaches a certain level of celebrity or notoriety through the media can enjoy being followed by followers.

Nowadays, most followers do not know their idol personally. A follower’s biggest goal seems to be to get closer to his chosen celebrity. They can do this by following what is published about them in the media or by keeping track of their idols’ achievements and work.

Supporters have shown that they are even capable of spending an entire night out just to get into a concert or to see them get off a plane. But what are they trying to achieve? The mirror neurons offer an explanation for this.

First of all, the brain produces an identification effect, and it leads to empathy. After that, the mirror neurons do everything else. Identification is produced because someone embodies characteristics or virtues that society considers valuable. In other words, their idol represents something that the followers want to be or have. The followers want to be like their idol. This is why the phenomenon is more common among teenagers, as they are still building their identity and looking for good role models to emulate.

Identification leads to empathy. Followers are beginning to feel that everything that happens to their idol is their personal concern. They want to get to know and understand everything that their chosen celebrity does, how they do it and why they do it. The success of the idol affects the followers emotionally, leading to a release of dopamine.

Mirror neurons allow this to occur. As their name suggests, they reflect what the subject sees other people doing in their mind. From a neurological perspective, these make it possible to identify with someone else, imitate them and feel empathy for the individual.

The identification and activation of mirror neurons is not always spontaneous. In fact, marketing experts have learned how to control these mechanisms to a great extent. Take a concert for example. The celebrity’s talent is not the most important aspect of the concert. It is not enough for the artist to sing or play an instrument well. Concerts are experiences nowadays.

The same applies to football or other sports that have a large audience. The experience is spiced up with a lot of extra effects. It is about a visual celebration of flags, tribute songs, uniforms and passion, which makes the event more than a simple competition. Because fans imitate the people they admire, football players and other athletes are perfect for promoting certain products and participating in commercials.

In summary, mirror neurons make society possible because they allow you to identify with others. They make you open up to other people, identify with them and feel empathy for them. However, this healthy process can lead to imitating and developing empathy for people with questionable values. It is therefore of the utmost importance that you learn to filter who you admire.