The Social Benefits of Getting Our Brains in Sync | Quanta Magazine

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the phenomenon of interpersonal neural synchronization, where the brain waves of people interacting with each other can align. It explores the potential benefits of this brain-to-brain coupling, such as improved problem-solving, learning, and cooperation. The article also delves into the necessary ingredients for synchrony to arise, including eye contact, shared goals, and joint attention.

🙋 Q&A

[01] Introduction

1. What is interpersonal neural synchronization, and how does it relate to the performance of the Polish piano duo Marek and Wacek?

• Interpersonal neural synchronization, also known as interbrain synchrony, refers to the phenomenon where the brain waves of people interacting with each other can align.
• The article suggests that the Polish piano duo Marek and Wacek, who performed without sheet music and appeared perfectly in sync on stage, may have experienced this phenomenon of interbrain synchrony.

2. What are some of the key findings from recent research on interpersonal neural synchronization?

• Dozens of recent experiments have shown that people performing tasks together, such as duetting pianists, card players, teachers and students, and jigsaw puzzlers, display coordinated neural activities.
• Synchrony between brains has been linked to better problem-solving, learning, and cooperation, as well as behaviors that help others at a personal cost.
• Recent studies have also suggested that synchrony itself might cause the improved performance observed by scientists.

3. How have advancements in technology, such as hyperscanning and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), contributed to the study of interpersonal neural synchronization?

• The popularization of hyperscanning, a technique that allows scientists to simultaneously scan the brains of several interacting people, has enabled researchers to observe synced interneural activity in various tasks and study setups.
• The use of fNIRS, which measures the activity of neurons in the outer layers of the cortex, has made it easier for researchers to study interpersonal neural synchronization, as volunteers can engage in various tasks while wearing fNIRS caps.

[02] The Recipe for Synchrony

1. What are some of the key factors that contribute to the emergence of interpersonal neural synchronization?

• Eye contact and smiling between individuals can instantly synchronize their brain waves.
• Synchronized movement, such as one person lifting their hand and the other doing the same, is also linked to synchronized brain wave activity.
• Mutual prediction, where individuals anticipate each other's responses and behaviors, appears to be another important ingredient for face-to-face neural synchrony.
• Sharing goals and joint attention often seem crucial for interbrain synchronization.

2. How do researchers address the criticism that interpersonal neural synchronization is simply a result of people responding to a shared environment?

• To test this criticism, researchers designed an experiment where participants either assembled a puzzle collaboratively or worked on identical puzzles separately, side by side. The results showed much greater interneural synchrony between the collaborating puzzlers, suggesting that interbrain synchrony is more than just an environmental artifact.
• Novembre argues that as long as researchers measure brains during social interaction, they will have to deal with the problem of brains being exposed to similar information, which can contribute to synchrony. However, the findings from various studies suggest that interbrain synchrony is more than just a response to a shared environment.

[03] Emergent Advantages

1. What are some of the benefits associated with interpersonal neural synchronization?

• Heightened synchrony between pairs can increase their sense of social connection, as demonstrated by the Mutual Wave Machine experiment.
• Interbrain synchrony between students and a teacher is linked to better student retention of the material being taught.
• Neurally synchronized teams not only communicate better but also outperform others on creative activities, such as interpreting poetry.

2. Is there evidence that interpersonal neural synchronization directly causes improvements in performance and cooperation, or is it simply a measure of engagement?

• While many studies have linked interbrain synchrony with better learning and performance, there is an ongoing debate about whether the synchrony actually causes such improvements or if it is simply a measure of engagement.
• Animal experiments suggest that neural synchrony can lead to changes in behavior, providing "pretty strong evidence that there is a causal relationship between the two."
• In humans, the strongest evidence comes from experiments that use electric brain stimulation to generate interneural synchrony, which have shown that synchronizing brain waves can enhance the ability to synchronize body movements and improve cooperation in simple tasks.

3. How might the findings on interpersonal neural synchronization help us in practical applications?

• Understanding when and how our brains synchronize could help us communicate more efficiently, design better classrooms, and improve team cooperation.
• The science of neural synchrony is already showing us how we benefit when we do things in sync with others, suggesting that on a biological level, we are wired to connect.