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Do you 'mirror' or 'mimic'?

Original Prankster

So, I was at a Pilates class last night and noticed that I was 'out of synch' with the other participants - they were raising their right arm and I was raising my left or they were swinging their left leg & I was swinging my right...

Then I realised, the instructor was stood at the front of the class and while most of the class were 'mirroring' her movements, I was 'mimicking' them.

I've notice the same thing if I'm trying to show someone they have a mark on their face - if it's on their left cheek I'll point to my left cheek (and be confused/annoyed when they wipe their right cheek).

I'd be interested to know if this is linked to autism - if it's a common thing with people here it suggests it may be linked to our neurology...

  • Greetings. To add to any contributions, I would say that this is not an "Autistic" thing. I would most of all say that it is a thing to be "LEARNT". (i.e. it depends upon the situation.)

    In My own Childhood, and as an adult, I see and get a lot of mimicking/mirroring business mixed up. In a group it is best to keep in mind what everyone else is doing, then follow that, or ask about it first. If alone, then left/right can get mixed up, without proper instruction or presence of mind.

    ...& There are a lot of Films/TV programmes where people scream at each other, dialogue such as: "Use the Right-side, like Me - no, I said Right! - Watch Me, ah, No *Your* Right! Sorry, wait, I'm facing *that* way, not *Your* way, so *Your* left is *My Right?* I meant left! No, *Your* left -- damn, too late... Sorry My bad!..."   Slight smile

  • in reply to Desmond79

    Yeah, my psychiatrist gave me some breathing and 'body awareness' exercises but warned that making yourself aware of your body can be unpleasant/difficult for some autistics & if that was the case, not to do them.

    I don't have a problem with it, though my (NT) wife can't stand feeling a pulse or a muscle move if she's resting against me.

  • With Pilates, I ended up dizzy and on the verge of fainting. I couldn't juxtapose the movements and breathing.

    I don't function well with those kinds of instructions, either.