Answer:
Mirror neurons don't have distinct "states," but they can be activated during observation and imitation; associative learning involves acquisition, retention, and retrieval states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Mirror Neurons:
Activation State: Mirror neurons can be in an activated state when an individual observes and imitates an action.
Resting State: When not engaged in observing or imitating, mirror neurons are in a resting state.
Example: When someone watches another person perform a specific task, like cutting vegetables, the mirror neurons related to motor planning might be activated, contributing to the observer's ability to imitate the action later.
Associative Learning:
Acquisition State: This is the phase where learning occurs, and associations between stimuli and responses are formed.
Retention State: After learning, information is stored in memory during the retention state.
Retrieval State: The learner recalls and uses the acquired knowledge during the retrieval state.
Example: In classical conditioning, a dog associating the sound of a bell (stimulus) with the arrival of food (response) represents the acquisition state.
After learning, the dog retains this association (retention state) and eventually salivates at the sound of the bell alone (retrieval state).
Thus, Mirror neurons don't have distinct "states," but they can be activated during observation and imitation; associative learning involves acquisition, retention, and retrieval states.