Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
4. The mirroring goes from one person to another and vice versa. If
there is a group of people, mirroring processes are active between all
brains in the group. Mirroring can be a great help to spread new
behavioral patterns over a group, but at the same time it also stabi-
lizes behavior. Due to these processes, new inputs of behavior can
also be neutralized because the old patterns are stronger and can eas-
ily kill new routines. This is one of the main reasons why cultural
change programs are so difficult to organize and are seldom effective.
Mirroring is a mutual activity.
5. Mirroring brings people together, which is intrinsically rewarding.
People who mirror are perceived as more sympathetic (Kühn, 2010).
Mirroring does not need any external reinforcements to strengthen
the behavior; it is a self-reinforcing process. The opposite is also
true: not mirroring leads to greater distance and social isolation.
Mirroring is self-reinforcing
6. The stronger the team culture, the more stable the mirroring pat-
terns will be. A strong team with a good safety repertoire will work
safely regardless of the external influences, but a strong team with a
disputable safety track record cannot be changed unless the culture
is weakened.
7. Role models with a high attractiveness will be mirrored more than
models with a low attractiveness. Gaining sympathy from a person
with a higher social status is experienced as more rewarding. In
organizations, leaders are perceived as attractive models, both for-
mal and informal ones. Peers with a high status are stronger models
than peers with low status, and members of one
'
s own team are
stronger than members of other teams. This is the reason why social
status is important for the effectiveness of safety buddies.
Behavior of attractive models is mirrored more
The basic question now is how we can benefit from the mirror sys-
tems to increase safe behavior in organizations. Each of the seven
points below gives a clue on how to make use of this principle.
