Mirror Neurons. Why we feel what others feel – and how to profit from It?
- Jakub Gołębiowski
- Sep 1, 2025
- 7 min read
Why do fans experience the victories and defeats of athletes even though they’re just sitting in front of the TV? Why do we cry or laugh when watching a movie? Why does canned laughter in sitcoms still work?
The answer to these questions is mirror neurons—the mechanisms of shared feeling in our brains. Marketing designed with this knowledge can increase customer attention, improve understanding of a product or service, and raise readiness to buy.
This article will show you how to use that knowledge to grow your work and results.
What Are Mirror Neurons?
Mirror neurons are elements of the brain that trigger in us emotions similar to those felt by the organism we observe.
In humans, primates, and even birds, watching members of the same species as something happens to them triggers brain reactions similar to those we’d have if the situation happened to us. This is the essence of the practical lesson from mirror neurons and the so-called Action Observation Network (AON).
Examples:
when you see happy people, you start to feel happiness yourself,
you wince and feel discomfort during horror films even though you’re sitting in a comfortable chair,
watching people succeed makes you feel as if you are succeeding yourself (crucial from a marketing point of view!).
The Discovery of Mirror Neurons
Mirror neurons were first discovered in macaques. In the early 1990s, a team of Italian neurophysiologists led by Giacomo Rizzolatti in Parma studied the motor cortex of macaques. They recorded the activity of single neurons responsible for planning hand movements.
They expected these neurons to fire when the monkey reached for an object. But something surprising happened—some neurons also fired when the monkey merely watched a human perform the same action (e.g., reaching for a peanut). It was an accidental but breakthrough moment.
The researchers noticed that the neurons fired not only during the monkey’s own movements but also while observing the movements of another organism. They called them mirror neurons because they acted like an inner mirror of someone else’s action. In short: the monkey’s brain responded as if it had reached for the peanut itself.
Mirror Neurons in Humans
In monkeys, this observation has been confirmed and linked to specific brain structures. In humans, however, the brain is far more complex. We don’t observe single neurons in action, but we do see the activity of the broader AON, which activates when we watch others perform actions.
This makes it a powerful marketing tool—though not a simple “buy now” button.
Key takeaway: the mirror neuron mechanism almost certainly exists in humans, though it works more subtly and in a more complex way than in simpler animals.
This mechanism doesn’t explain everything, but it explains surprisingly much.
I asked well-known psychiatrist Joachim Budny for a comment:
“Studies show that mirror systems (with activity similar to mirror neurons in monkeys) influence the understanding of intentions and the goals of behavior, even complex ones.
They may represent a key system for empathy in the sense of shared feeling—understanding the states of other people. These abilities are the foundation of many social interactions, allowing us to sympathize with someone or feel compassion, but also to sense deceit or manipulation, or veiled mockery and threats.
There are hypotheses linking certain disorders—such as autism spectrum disorders or some personality disorders—to damage in mirror neuron systems. Mirror systems in humans are much more complex than in animals, which is reflected in much more sophisticated interpersonal communication.”
Joachim Budny, Psychiatrist (www.psychiatrajoachim.pl)
Sources he recommends:
How to Apply the Mirror Mechanism in Sales and Marketing
The mirror neuron mechanism and the AON can be translated into very practical marketing and sales decisions.
Below are tactics that most often deliver results in research and practice:
Show people succeeding thanks to your product or service.
Simple but effective: when we see others in a success moment, our brains react as if we are experiencing it too. This directly boosts motivation and the feeling: “I feel it too, I want it too.”
Show emotions and faces.
These trigger mirror neurons the most. Animations and infographics are useful, but they don’t evoke the same response as real human faces and emotions. Remember: people convince people—not cartoon avatars.
Use video.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and video is thousands of pictures. No other online medium activates the mirror system as effectively today. If you want your audience to feel the action, you must show it, not just describe it.
Anthropomorphize (humanize) ads.
Research shows our brains resonate strongest when we see actions within arm’s reach (the peripersonal space). Use first-person (POV) shots and show hands in the frame. Close-ups of gripping a mouse, pressing a key, or moving a cursor immediately spark the thought: “I could do that.” Wide shots impress, but they don’t produce as strong a sense that we can replicate the action ourselves.
Talk less, demo more.
Journal of Neuroscience confirms: showing short actions is more powerful than talking about them. Instead of the slogan “easy to use,” show a 5-second clip where three clicks produce a result. In B2B, micro-training videos work best: short loops on the homepage, GIFs in cold emails, or mini-demos in presentations.
Use "People just like me" (UGC).
The AON responds more strongly to social stimuli. That means we’re most convinced by people like us: real users doing real things. A customer video beats a stock model with a mockup.
Add action sounds.
Subtle movement sounds—clicks, rustles, sliding an object across a table—enhance presence and agency. A simple element that significantly increases immersion. Easy to test: compare watch time and CTR with and without sound.
Mimicry in 1:1 sales.
Subtle reflection of a customer’s posture, gestures, and language builds rapport. Field studies show that waiters repeating guests’ words at orders earned higher tips. Retail salespeople converted better when they subtly matched speech and gestures. It’s not magic—it’s a neural signal: “they are like me and understand me.”
Write case studies as instructions.
A well-structured case study isn’t just a story of results. It’s a practical instruction:context → goal → 3 steps → outcome.This lets the reader mentally rehearse the process before trying it themselves.
Design product pages for action.
The best product pages don’t just describe—they invite action.
A simple pattern:
– At the top, a short clip of someone using the product within arm’s reach.
– Below, sections like “Do it now”: a configurator, live demo, or sample to download.
Important: don’t hide elements showing hands in motion—research shows that when the hand isn’t visible, the mirror effect drops dramatically.
Quick Implementation Ideas for Marketing and Sales
Ads and shorts.
Record three versions of the same scene:(A) POV with hands – user’s perspective, hands and product within reach;(B) medium shot – the person in frame, demonstrating action but still within reach;(C) wide shot – the full scene, more lifestyle-oriented.Compare effectiveness: measure hook rate (viewers of the first 3 seconds) and CTR (click-through to site). Usually (A) POV wins, but in some categories (e.g., fashion, design), medium shots deliver stronger emotional impact.
Homepage hero.
Replace a static banner with a 6–8 second loop: “from nothing → to result.” Example: empty desk → three clicks → finished dashboard. Highlight exactly three moves so the brain can mentally rehearse them.Below the video, place a “Do it now” button leading to a simple demo or trial. This way, the viewer not only sees the action but immediately repeats it.
Case study.
Don’t stop at describing results (“+200% sales”). Add elements that let the reader rehearse the steps:– three GIFs or short loops of key moments (e.g., “campaign click,” “segment setup,” “report”),– captions written as action instructions, not descriptions (“Added filter X” instead of “Implemented segmentation”).This turns a case study from a dry story into an instruction set the customer mentally replays.
Sales script.
Add a step: “repeat in your own words.” After hearing a customer’s needs, paraphrase their statement and ask for confirmation (“Do I understand correctly that you want…?”).This should be pacing & leading, not parroting. First align with the customer (posture, tempo, keywords), then guide them to the decision—otherwise it feels fake.Also practice tempo and pauses: too fast feels artificial, too slow loses effect. Subtle tuning makes the customer feel understood—and you seem relatable.
Measurement.
Don’t measure vague metrics like “brand lift.” Define hypotheses tied to specific actions.Examples:– “POV version will increase ‘Start trial’ clicks by at least 10% compared to medium shot.”– “Adding 3 GIFs to the case study will increase average time on page by ≥20%.”– “‘Do it now’ button under hero will increase trial starts by at least 15%.”This gives clear results and fast insights: does the mirror effect actually work in your category?
What’s the Real Truth About Mirror Neurons? What Marketers Say vs. What Science Says
Marketers often oversimplify reality—and it doesn’t always end well for them. While such simplifications can make it easy to “sell” an idea to a boss or client, they don’t always translate into real results.
That’s why we’ll bust the most common myths:
Myth: “Activate mirror neurons and people will buy.”
Fact: There’s no brain “buy button.” What we see is the action-observation network and its modulation by context (distance, perspective, goal clarity). Beware of agencies selling “neuro-hacks.”
Myth: “We have hard evidence in humans at the single-neuron level.
Fact: In humans we mostly have indirect signals (fMRI/EEG). Scientists warn against over-interpretation and call for caution in designing “neuromarketing” practices.
Myth: “Any video with hands will work.”
Fact: The effect depends on context: proximity of the scene, perspective (first- vs. third-person), and clear visibility of the action’s goal. Test different shots and distances.”
Summary
Mirror neurons are not a magic “buy now” button. They won’t sell for you.But they make people feel the action before doing it. That’s why marketing and sales built on images, emotions, and demonstrations can be much more effective than pure claims or descriptions.
Your job: show hands in motion, faces in emotion, and real people in success situations. That way, customers move faster from “sounds good” to “I’m doing it now.” And if you add testing and measurable hypotheses, you’ll turn the mirror effect from a neurobiological curiosity into a practical business tool.
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