Similar neural circuits are activated during action and the observation of action and such sensorimotor resonance is said to support action understanding and empathy. Previous research, however, shows that group biases can restrict sensorimotor resonance to the social ingroup. Here we test whether an empathic mindset can alleviate such group biases in sensorimotor resonance. Participants adopted either an objective mindset or a perspective taking mindset while writing about a day in the life of a racial outgroup member. Participants in an objective mindset resonated with ingroup members, indicated by significant suppression of the 8–13 Hz electroencephalographic (EEG) mu-rhythm recorded over sensorimotor areas during action observation compared to baseline, but did not show significant mu-suppression in response to outgroup members. In contrast, participants in a perspective taking mindset resonated with both ingroup and outgroup members and significantly more so with outgroup members. Moreover, mindset uniquely affected resonance in response to outgroup members but not in response to ingroup members, with participants who previously took the perspective of an outgroup member later responding with more resonance to the actions of other outgroup members. Together these findings suggest that taking the perspective of a racial outgroup member can reduce group biases in sensorimotor resonance, potentially fostering an intuitive understanding across groups.

在动作和观察动作期间会激活类似的神经回路，据说这种感觉运动共振支持动作理解和同理心。然而，先前的研究表明，群体偏见可以将感觉运动共振限制在社会群体中。在这里，我们测试了移情思维方式是否可以减轻这种感觉运动共振中的群体偏见。参与者在写出种族外联成员生活中的一天时，采用了客观的心态或采取了心态的观点。客观思维方式的参与者与小组成员产生共鸣，与基线相比，在动作观察过程中感觉运动区域记录的8-13 Hz脑电图（EEG）mu节律得到了显着抑制，但未表现出对小组外反应的显着抑制成员。相反，采取心态观点的参与者在小组内成员和小组外成员中产生共鸣，而在小组外成员中则更为明显。此外，心态独特地影响了对外联成员的反应，但没有对内联成员的反应产生影响，参与者以前曾以外联成员的观点参与，后来对其他外联成员的行动产生了更大的共鸣。这些发现共同表明，从种族外来成员的角度出发可以减少小组在感觉运动共振方面的偏见，从而有可能促进各小组之间的直观了解。这种心态独特地影响了对外来成员的反应，但没有对内外成员的反应产生影响，以前参加过外来成员观点的参与者后来对其他外来成员的行动产生了更大的共鸣。这些发现共同表明，从种族外来成员的角度出发，可以减少感觉运动共振方面的群体偏见，从而有可能促进跨群体的直观理解。这种心态独特地影响了对外来成员的反应，但没有对内外成员的反应产生影响，以前参加过外来成员观点的参与者后来对其他外来成员的行动产生了更大的共鸣。这些发现共同表明，从种族外来成员的角度出发可以减少小组在感觉运动共振方面的偏见，从而有可能促进各小组之间的直观了解。