In simple terms, action observation (AO) is what humans use to communicate with each other. We had it (evolutionarily) even before we had the ability to speak.
Let's say, you and I are in the same tribe and we're hunting big game, and we
can't yell for fear of spooking our next meal. We can communicate a lot
through facial expression and body movement. Humans used AO in hunter-gatherer tribes to be able to communicate intention, movement, pain, sadness, excitement, etc. This survival tool allowed us to express our human experiences quickly and accurately.
In some ways AO can be expressed in one word:
Empathy. You feel what I feel, I feel what you feel. Most of this is processed in the much-discussed mirror neurons; specialized nerve cells in the brain that allow us to feel what others are feeling.
If I observe you burning your hand, my mirror neurons activate, and I'll wince. If I observe you throwing a tight spiral, my neurons will feel that movement.
How can you use AO in your recovery?
Let's say you're a survivor trying to make you walking beter, faster, and with less fear of falling. Observe other people walking. Feel them walking. There is quite a few researchers yelling from the tallest buildings: This helps people recover!
Listen to them!
Here are some links to action observation in stroke:
