The phenomenon of fans has become much more massive today, but it has always existed, there have always been personalities or leaders who have fascinated others and gained fervent followers, able to make great sacrifices for them, neuroscience has discovered that the relationship between fans and idols is related to mirror neurons.
The big difference of this phenomenon today, compared to what happened before, is the massive component and characteristics of the idol, before no leader managed to accumulate fans around the world, there was no way that would happen. However, it is now relatively common for a collective’s idol to grow into a planetary idol.
- Similarly.
- In front of the leader or figure must have obviously exceptional qualities.
- Not now.
- Relatively ordinary people manage to become mass idols for the work and grace of media and advertising.
- Why is this happening? Part of the answer is in mirror neurons.
The fan is that person who admires the other and gradually develops an identification process with the other, this identification reaches the point where the fan feels that everything that happens to his idol concerns him personally.
This fan’s loyalty to his idol is based on the fact that he possesses extraordinary qualities or performs unusual exploits, in the past it is political, religious or artistic leaders who have awakened this devotion, today it is essentially the characters who gain notoriety through the media, who trigger the phenomenon of fans.
Today most fans do not personally know their idol, so one of their main goals is to address this issue, they do so through what is published about them or because they are aware of their work or achievements.
Also, of course, you can spend an entire night camping outdoors to watch one of your shows or watch them get off the plane. What do you want? Mirror neurons explain it to us.
First there is the identifying effect, which leads to empathy, and mirror neurons do everything else, identification happens because someone incorporates virtues or characteristics considered ideal, that is, they represent everything you want to be or have, there is a desire to be known as this person.
Thus, the phenomenon of fans is more common among teenagers, who build an identity and seek references to achieve it.
From this identification also arises a process of empathy. The fan begins to experience everything that happens to his idol like his, is open to information and understands what he is doing, how he is doing it and why he is doing it, his triumphs have a great emotional impact and there is a dopamine discharge with them.
Mirror neurons are involved in this process. These, as their name suggests, reflect in the mind what the individual sees others doing, they allow, from a neurological point of view, identification, imitation and empathy; This is exactly what happens in the ventilator phenomenon: an activation of mirror neurons.
The identification, empathy and activation of mirror neurons are not always spontaneous processes, in fact these days they are usually controlled by marketing experts, for example in a show what really stands out is the idol’s talent for singing or playing an instrument. you can experience many additional accessories in the context of an epic situation.
The same goes for football or other mass sports. Sports competitions are embellished with a whole press apparatus. Images of flags, hymns, uniforms and passions go far beyond a simple competition. As fans emulate the characters they admire, they end up being representatives of certain products or protagonists of certain ads.
In conclusion, mirror neurons are responsible for the existence of culture and society, leading us to open ourselves to others, to identify with them and to foster empathy; this healthy and laudable process is also used to encourage us to imitate and develop empathy. with characters representing dubious values. It is useful for our lives for us to learn how to filter and decant these excessive admirations.