Comments on: Unintentional Mirroring: The Chameleon Effect

By: tom murphy

tom murphy — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 23:10:11 +0000

I noticed that this woman , that I think kinda liked me did this. I think that she flirted with me . I use to wear bandanas and sometimes do and I noticed that this woman wore one too. My neighbor started to wear one also . I dunno . I still wear one though I really don’t care . I wear them because they keep my head from getting sunburned and the sweat out of my eyes. Yea and sometimes to hide the baldness. But again who cares . I would rather wear one than look like some preppy dude like Charlie Sheen. I mean really who dresses like that? I wish Andrew Dice Clay would come back. that dude at least was original .

By: Shawn

Shawn — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 06:58:27 +0000

Um… I came searching about what this is called because I recently noticed I copy the mannerisms of everyone I talk to. I’m 18 and I’m just curious about why it is that I mimic the way someone acts and talks when I talk to them. Like when I talk to one friend i’ll talk just like they do, using there style of speech, if I understand what some of their slang terms mean, and if i turn to address another my whole style of speech shifts to reflect the new person I’m addressing.

When i don’t know someone I tend to listen to them more then talk to them until i get a good understanding of how they talk and act before I start conversing with them.

So is what I do the chameleon effect, or is it something else?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 01:49:01 +0000

Can the chameleon effect be a bad thing? I had a big fight with my partner because I unintentionally cut her off in a conversation. The argument drew out accusations that everything she does I have to do too, such as rolling up the window when she does, singing to the radio when she does, etc. Other than having problems with being oblivious to my actions, I wonder if there is a way to control them so I don’t ruin my relationship.

By: kevin

kevin — Sun, 12 Nov 2006 01:10:38 +0000

IT SURE IS INSULTING-I.E. SPEAKING TO A SPEAKING SPANISH ACCENT YOU’RE WHEN NOT HISPANIC I FEEL THE PERSON TALKING TO IS

By: TINA GRIMES

TINA GRIMES — Thu, 19 Oct 2006 22:42:04 +0000

WHEN AN INDIVIDUAL MIMICS OTHER(S) , DOES IT MEAN THAT HE/SHE IS SUPPOSEDLY “BRILLIANT”…. I DON’T SEE IT BEING THAT, HOWEVER, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IT IS.

I FEEL THAT WHEN SOME ONE IS MIMICING THE PERSON HE/SHE IS TALKING TO, IT IS INSULTING – I.E. SPEAKING TO A SPANISH SPEAKING PERSON W/ A SPANISH ACCENT WHEN YOU’RE NOT HISPANIC/SPANARD…

By: Addison Higley

Addison Higley — Fri, 29 Sep 2006 20:47:51 +0000

Just a little while ago I read a book that was talking about the prinicples of influence. Two of the principles apply here.
First of all, mimicing usually occurs when the mimiced person is an authority figure (though perhaps people also do it when they get along well, I’m just not convinced based on what I see here). For example on Larry King Live, when former president Clinton was on the show Larry would mimic Clinton. However when someone of less authority or of lower status was on the show, they mimiced Larry Kings speech patterns.
Second, people like those that are similar to them. So, if the researchers mimiced the test subjects it would hold that they would like them better. My point is that it goes beyond mimicing.

Both of these prinicples have a lot of evidence to back them up, however my copy of the book is on loan so I can’t site sources right now. If you want them, though, shoot me an e-mail at comptechnotech@gmail.com and I will respond as soon as I get my book back.