Present research on mirror neurons, or more precisely mirror neuron cells (MNCs), investigates their role as mechanisms for automatically interpreting others’ actions. However, there has been a decline in systematic neurobiological and ethological studies directly examining MNCs. This review evaluates existing neurobiological and behavioral research, emphasizing a critical examination of the application of MNC concepts in the social sciences, particularly social anthropology. Many social-scientific interpretations oversimplify the phenomenon, while neuroscientific findings remain inconclusive regarding MNCs’ precise function in humans. Additionally, technological studies have confirmed MNCs’ existence in monkeys and some bird species but not in apes or humans, raising questions about their evolutionary significance. A review of literature since the early 1990s reveals numerous controversies and conflicting results, casting doubt on the generalizability of MNCs across species. While claims about the all-encompassing role of MNCs and the existence of a mirror neuron system (MNS) have permeated scientific and popular discourse, leading neuroscientists argue that there is no definitive consensus on their biological or functional significance. This research underscores the need for a more nuanced and empirically grounded understanding of MNCs, cautioning against overgeneralization in both neuroscientific and social-scientific frameworks.