"According to the researchers, our brains simulate the tortuous episodes being played out on screen - making us flinch as if we feel it ourselves. In their study, they found that parts of the brain thought to be solely linked to vision are also associated with bodily sensations. Watching gruesome scenes in TV shows and movies can activate these touch-processing regions in a highly organised way."
"'Your brain maps what you see onto your own body, "simulating" a touch sensation even though nothing physical happened to you. The study involved analysing the brain activity of 174 people while they watched a range of films, from Home Alone to Inception. Surprisingly, typically 'visual' areas of the brain also contained 'maps' of the body similar to those found in areas associated with processing touch."
Watching others in pain activates touch-processing regions of the brain, producing vicarious sensations and instinctive flinching. Visual cortical areas contain body maps resembling somatosensory maps, allowing visual input to be mapped onto the observer's body. These touch-related maps activate in spatially organised patterns matching the observed body part during gruesome film scenes. Analysis of 174 participants viewing films ranging from Home Alone to Inception revealed these cross-modal activations. Cross-talk between touch and vision enables senses to cooperate; tactile information can help the visual system construct internal maps in low-visibility situations. The brain therefore simulates observed touch to create a coherent perception of events.
Read at Mail Online
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