#contemplativewriting

This led me to remember sth I heard about in the TV show The Mentalist, and later read up on, namely mirroring.

I won't bore you with a long definition of what it is, so here's the short version: when humans interact, they may unconsciously mirror the movements, facial expressions, and body language of the other person.

It's the reason people claim 'if smb yawns or sneezes, you do, too' :D

With the exception of when high-functioning psychopaths and sociopaths do it, mirroring is actually kinda fun.

When I'm talking to smb I don't particularly enjoy conversing with, for instance, I'll start to touch my neck or eyebrows every few seconds and wait to see when they'll mirror the gesture. It's a neat game to play to pass the time wasted on talking to them lol.

But I digress. The main idea of this post is this: Why don't writers (us) do this when writing dialogue?

Certain genres have to be as close to reality as possible...and yet, mirroring is hardly present in dialogue. I've never seen one character touch their neck nervously and the other do the same. Usually, if both characters are nervous in this context, the other person will be doing sth else (tapping their fingers or shaking their leg, for ex.)

In my writing, for example, two characters can be smiling, but it's not necessarily mirroring, it's just that...the context allows for them both to be smiling.

As for any other kind of nonverbal expression, I don't ever recall having two characters mirror each other's body language/gestures...etc. just for the sake of the work being as realistic as possible.

Which brings me back to the why. My theory? Simple; it boils down to the 'willing suspension of disbelief'.

Frankly, I have never had a work of art ruined for me just because 'mirroring' wasn't a part of it :D

While it's a neat observation (at least I think so), it doesn't mean the paradigm has shifted. Mirroring isn't going to become a 'literary device or element' that writers have to suddenly keep in mind, like Metaphors or Conflict.

The way I see it? We, writers, can use mirroring to our advantage when we want to. A few examples include:

A character notices that their crush is mirroring their movements. Perhaps they like them too? Do they? Or is it just normal? >.<

Your character is a psychologist/or has knowledge of mirroring (like in the case of The Mentalist) and makes a point to show others/note that someone is/isn't mirroring

A character that knows of mirroring and uses it to pass the time when talking to someone they dislike/a person that won't stop talking...etc. (like yours truly does :D)

A manipulative character that uses mirroring to get their victims to do what they want and control them better.

Got more ideas? Shoot them in the comments, I'd love to hear them!

If you stuck around this far, you're a real one; thank you! 💐