Monkey see monkey do

Lecture



When next time you find yourself at a party or where people meet and interact, pay attention to how many people repeat gestures and the posture of their interlocutors. Mirror is a way of expressing agreement with the ideas and feelings of the interlocutor. It is as if a person non-verbally says to another “You see, I am exactly the same as you”. The first step is usually taken by a person who occupies a higher position, and others copy his behavior.
  Monkey see monkey do
These people think the same way.

Imagine, for example, two men in a bar (see picture above). They mirror each other. It is reasonable to assume that they are discussing something that they are treated in exactly the same way. If one of the interlocutors makes an evaluative gesture or rests on the other leg, the second will repeat his movement. If one interlocutor puts his hand in his pocket, the second will do the same. The mirroring will be maintained as long as there is agreement.
  Monkey see monkey do
Even when Presidents Bush and Chirac disagree verbally, they continue to copy each other. It testifies to mutual respect.

Mirror occurs between friends or people of the same position. It is not uncommon for spouses to walk, stand, sit and move in exactly the same way. Albert Sheflen discovered that strangers to each other people deliberately avoid specularity.
created: 2014-09-29
updated: 2021-03-13
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Body language

Terms: Body language