Participant Perception of Others' Acts: Virtual Otherness in Infants and Adults

This commentary examines how the `matrices' of intersubjectivity distinguished by Coelho and Figueiredo (2003) may link to the levels of intersubjectivity identified in recent research on infant social cognition and communicative development, and follows up their point about `simultaneous' supplementary processes. Illustrations are offered of how a primary intersubjective mode of participant perception of actions in others is sometimes also bodily manifested in contexts of higher-order intersubjectivity, for example when spoon-feeding caregivers unwittingly open their mouth as the patient opens the mouth to take in the food, or when spectators open their mouth when watching a video of a newborn trying to imitate mouth-opening. Such virtual other participation, leaving a participatory emotional memory of having been a virtual co-author, simulating the other's movements, is seen to play a role in cultural learning and circular re-enactment of care and abuse, pertaining to intrapsychic and traumatic aspects of intersubjectivity. Finally, some impending needs in research on the nature, nurture and impairment of intersubjectivity are indicated.