Book 2, Question 40
Why Do We Copy Other People's Moods?
We copy other people's moods because the brain automatically mirrors faces and voices, called emotional mimicry.
Feelings can spread from person to person, almost like weather. Your brain watches other people's faces and voices. And it can borrow a little of their mood without you even trying.
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Quick answers
How fast does it happen?
Within about 400 milliseconds, your brain and face start reacting to someone else's smile.
What is emotional contagion?
When other people's feelings rub off on you without you noticing.
Sources: National Geographic, Cleveland Clinic, BBC
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 2
More fun facts
- Within about 400 milliseconds, your brain and face start reacting to someone else's smile.
- Scientists call this automatic copying emotional mimicry.
- Copying someone's expressions tends to make them like and trust you more.
- When other people's feelings rub off on you without you noticing, it is called emotional contagion.
- People with lots of empathy catch other people's feelings more easily.
- In the 1990s, scientists in Italy found brain cells in monkeys that fired both when doing an action and when watching another monkey do it.
Sources: National Geographic, Cleveland Clinic, BBC
Questions kids ask
Can a smile really spread?
Yes. Your face starts reacting to someone's smile in less than half a second.