Someone I used to know would periodically portray behaviors which I found offensive or combative.  When I brought these to her attention she was quick to ‘explain’ to me that I was actually mirroring.

Mirroring! That’s when you see behaviors within others that you take offence to but which you actually yourself present and.. herein you have the ‘blessing’ to raise to conscious awareness your faults so that you can deal with them….Balls!

I have heard people loosely and incorrectly using this brain fart in the wrong context.  If this was true what a schizophrenic bunch we all would be….mirroring everyone we come into contact with.

Mirroring – the correct definition –  is the behavior in which one person copies another person usually while in social interaction with them.  It may include miming gestures, movements, body language, muscle tensions, expressions, tones, eye movements, breathing, tempo, accent, attitude, choice of words/metaphors and other aspects of communication.  It is often observed among couples or close friends.