Shared bodystate: Are emotions contagious?

Why does aggression seem to have a ripple effect? Why do even small events sometimes end in restraint? How do contagious emotions change the safety of your facility or organization? Can we use emotional contagion to enhance safety?

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References and Suggested reading/listening:

Peer Reviewed Scholarly Publications

  • Barsade, S. G. (2002). The Ripple Effect: Emotional Contagion and Its Influence on Group Behavior. Administrative Science Quarterly, 47(4), 644. https://doi.org/10.2307/3094912

  • Bonini, L., Rotunno, C., Arcuri, E., & Gallese, V. (2022). Mirror neurons 30 years later: implications and applications. In Trends in Cognitive Sciences (Vol. 26, Issue 9, pp. 767–781). Elsevier Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2022.06.003

  • Carr, L., Iacoboni, M., Dubeau, M.-C., Mazziotta, J. C., & Lenzi, G. L. (2003). Neural mechanisms of empathy in humans: A relay from neural systems for imitation to limbic areas. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 100(9), 5497–5502. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0935845100

  • Christov-Moore, L., & Iacoboni, M. (2016). Self-other resonance, its control and prosocial inclinations: Brain-behavior relationships. Human Brain Mapping, 37(4), 1544–1558. https://doi.org/10.1002/hbm.23119

  • Ellis, B. J., Bianchi, J., Griskevicius, V., & Frankenhuis, W. E. (2017). Beyond Risk and Protective Factors: An Adaptation-Based Approach to Resilience. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(4), 561–587. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617693054

  • Eres, R., Decety, J., Louis, W. R., & Molenberghs, P. (2015). Individual differences in local gray matter density are associated with differences in affective and cognitive empathy. NeuroImage, 117, 305–310. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.05.038

  • Eres, R., & Molenberghs, P. (2013). The influence of group membership on the neural correlates involved in empathy. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 7, 1–6. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00176

  • Hatfield, E., Cacioppo, J. T., & Rapson, R. L. (1993). Emotional Contagion. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 2(3), 96–100. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8721.ep10770953

  • Iacoboni, M. (2009). Mirroring People: The Science of Empathy and How We Connect with Others. Picador.

  • Iacoboni, M., & Mazziotta, J. C. (2007). Mirror neuron system: basic findings and clinical applications. Annals of Neurology, 62(3), 213–218. https://doi.org/10.1002/ana.21198

  • Iacoboni, M., Molnar-Szakacs, I., Gallese, V., Buccino, G., Mazziotta, J. C., & Rizzolatti, G. (2005). Grasping the Intentions of Others with One’s Own Mirror Neuron System. PLoS Biology, 3(3), e79. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pbio.0030079

  • Prochazkova, E., & Kret, M. E. (2017). Connecting minds and sharing emotions through mimicry: A neurocognitive model of emotional contagion. Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, 80(May), 99–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.013

  • Rizzolatti, G., & Craighero, L. (2004). The Mirror-Neuron System. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 27, 169–192. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.neuro.27.070203.144230

  • Rudolph, K. D., Skymba, H. V., Modi, H. H., Davis, M. M., & Sze, W. Y. (2022). Biological Embedding of Peer Experiences: The Contribution of Peer Adversity to Stress Regulation. In P. A. van Lier & K. Deater-Deckard (Eds.), Biosocial Interplay During Elementary School (pp. 111–151). Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-07109-6_6

  • Wicker, B., Keysers, C., Plailly, J., Royet, J.-P., Gallese, V., & Rizzolatti, G. (2003). Both of Us Disgusted in My Insula. Neuron, 40(3), 655–664. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0896-6273(03)00679-2

Podcasts and interviews

Media credit (photo/video/audio/animation) Sincere thanks to the following artists

Thumbnail Image - Anatomy person- Gerd Altmann, Pixabay

Limbic System – istock.com/decade3d

Anatomy person- Gerd Altmann, Pixabay

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Disclaimer: The contents of this video are for informational and educational purposes only and are not intended to be medical or psychiatric advice, diagnosis, or treatment, nor to replace medical or psychiatric care. The information presented herein represents the perspective of the author. The concepts presented are accurate and conform to the available scientific evidence to the best of the author's knowledge as of the time of posting. Always seek the advice of qualified mental health providers with any questions regarding any emotional or psychological condition. Never disregard professional mental health advice or delay seeking it because of information contained in Body and Behavior Institute videos. Body and Behavior Institute is an initiative of Limbic Legacy.

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