Imitating others' actions or gestures can be a natural human behavior, but when it happens frequently and involuntarily, it could be echopraxia.
People with BPD may even copy others' actions and behaviors because "their ability to be independent and autonomous is very impaired."
Bargh, two psychologists who were the first to explore the phenomenon, very empathetic people are more likely to imitate others than people who aren't. When a person is truly empathetic, they pay more attention and form deeper connections with the person they are interacting with, which makes them more likely to mimic.
The copycat syndrome is a concept that describes people's tendency to blindly imitate others' actions without fully understanding the reasons behind those actions.
Many adults with ADHD use coping strategies that help them hide their symptoms. This practice is known as ADHD masking and is especially common in women with ADHD. One type of ADHD masking — known as mirroring — involves intentionally or unintentionally mimicking the speech, movements, or behaviors of someone else.
The copycat effect is the alleged tendency of sensational publicity about violent murders or suicides to result in more of the same through imitation. The term was first coined in the early 20th century, following crimes inspired by Jack the Ripper.
Some degree of unconscious personality mirroring is almost inevitable and no cause for concern. But if attempts to mimic others are labored, extreme, or have a negative effect, it's possible that some change is in order. Suppressing our own traits to mimic others' too much or too often may be unhealthy.
Common Trait #3 – They Copy Others
Insecure people copy other people because they lack sufficient self-belief to create something on their own. If they were to create something on their own it may not be good enough, nor be perfect, they may fail or be judged for it.
Other forms: copycats. Someone who mimics what you do or say is a copycat. If your little brother orders fettuccine Alfredo after you've already ordered it, you might call him a copycat. The word copycat is a lighthearted, gently derogatory word for a person who imitates someone else.
Echopraxia (also known as echokinesis) is the involuntary repetition or imitation of another person's actions. Similar to echolalia, the involuntary repetition of sounds and language, it is one of the echophenomena ("automatic imitative actions without explicit awareness").
Extraverted Feeling and Mirroring
The personality types most likely to practice mirroring on a regular basis are those that possess an Extraverted Feeling (Fe) function.
Narcissism is not a symptom of BPD listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, as many as 40% of people with BPD may also have narcissistic personality disorder,4 so people with BPD may also show signs of narcissism.
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is a disorder in which people have recurring, unwanted thoughts, ideas or sensations (obsessions). To get rid of the thoughts, they feel driven to do something repetitively (compulsions).
SO, WHY DO NARCISSISTS MIRROR IN RELATIONSHIPS? They lack their own identity so they must get it from someone else: As I have discussed in many blogs, narcissists don't have stable senses of identity and they require outside sources to help them define their own level of esteem and worth in that moment.
Copying others is also a sign of jealousy. People who don't have a certain look, talent or idea will be so jealous of others that they take other's successes and try to make them their own. It's pathetic, upsetting and unfortunate, but it's something that is hard to control.
This is when simply by watching someone do something, we become more likely to do it. This can happen unconsciously too - like mimicking posture, gesture, moods etc. Mimicking someone is considered healthy - as it works like a social glue, enabling people to bond better. It makes your interactions more pleasant.
Introduction: Interpersonal problems together with feelings of intense loneliness constitute a core symptom domain in borderline personality disorder (BPD). Mimicry is one social behaviour that serves the forming of social affiliation and building a sense of belonging.
“Mirroring” is an abuse tactic and an example of one of the above situations. It's when someone acts as though they're “just like you” and “just what you need” in order to manipulate you as they please.
For someone with this type of BPD relationship, a “favorite person” is someone they rely on for comfort, happiness, and validation. The relationship with a BPD favorite person may start healthy, but it can often turn into a toxic love-hate cycle known as idealization and devaluation.
They're either: Lacking a sense of self – They don't know who they are so being you seems awesome. Green with envy – They want what you have, so they copy you to try to get it. Insecure – A lack of self-esteem can cause someone to try and elevate themselves by copying those they admire (you) or…
Derek Brown, a Jack the Ripper copycat killer, murdered two women before he was caught. Derek Brown, a 47-year-old-father of seven, followed in the grisly footsteps of Jack the Ripper 120 years after the original, infamous murders occurred.
Start some uncomfortable conversations and let this person know how their behavior is affecting you. Get out the record you've been keeping and share examples of their copycat behavior with them. Explain how that makes you feel, and ask them to shift their behavior moving forward.
Atypical Presentation of ADHD Symptoms
Sleep disturbances (has trouble with sleep initiation, sleep deprived, can't wake up easily, etc.) Weak executive function (poor recall of information, internalizing language, controlling emotions, problem-solving, etc.)
The problem: The social maturity of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD or ADD) may be a few years behind that of their peers. In addition, they have difficulty reading verbal and physical social cues, misinterpreting remarks, or not getting jokes or games.