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The Chameleon Effect: Why Do We Mimic Each Other?

The Chameleon Effect As Social Glue

Nourelhouda Chouia
ILLUMINATION
Published in
4 min readJan 15, 2023

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Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a conversation with someone and noticed they were standing in the same position as you or mimicking your facial expression? While it may appear as though they are intentionally copying you, it is more likely that this is the result of the chameleon effect Max Phillips. This phenomenon is a form of nonconscious mimicry where individuals unconsciously adopt the gestures and behaviors of others in order to blend in and create a sense of cohesion in their interactions.

The chameleon effect @John Griswold helps to foster a sense of connection and smooth communication between individuals.

Photo by Timur Weber on Pexels

Discovery of the chameleon effect: a timeline

Psychologists John Bargh and Tanya Chartrand conducted an experiment in 1999 to demonstrate the reality of the chameleon effect. The study aimed to examine if the effect would occur in both known and unfamiliar individuals. The first experiment involved 78 participants who…

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