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Oakes RA, Peschel L, Barraclough NE. Inter-subject correlation of audience facial expressions predicts audience engagement during theatrical performances. iScience 2024; 27:109843. [PMID: 38779478 PMCID: PMC11109022 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
During performances, audiences experience various emotional states, and these are reflected in their ongoing facial expressions. We investigated if audience engagement could be determined by measuring the inter-subject correlation (ISC) of non-invasively recorded audience facial expressions. We filmed the faces of multiple audience members at theatrical performances and determined the intensity of their different facial expressions throughout the performances. Neutral, happy, anger, and disgust expression ISCs accounted for up to 24% of the performance dramaturge's predictions of audience engagement. Expression synchrony was greater between individuals in close proximity, suggesting effects of emotional contagion or cognitive similarities between neighboring individuals, whereas expression synchrony was greatest between individuals who were younger, female, and with greater levels of empathy, showing that individual characteristics impact shared audience experiences. Together, our results show that facial expression synchronization could be used as a real-time non-invasive indicator of engagement in audiences larger than achieved using previous approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A. Oakes
- Department of Psychology, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD York, UK
- Department of Theatre, Film and Television and Interactive Media, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD York, UK
| | - Lisa Peschel
- Department of Theatre, Film and Television and Interactive Media, University of York, Heslington, YO10 5DD York, UK
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2
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Alipoor J, Pourrashidi H. A critical study on the researches about the application of neurotechnology in education. Int J Neurosci 2024:1-8. [PMID: 38270558 DOI: 10.1080/00207454.2024.2311231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The education and pedagogy have been adopted with the development of technology in order to achieve efficient consequences and the new methods in neuroscience and neurotechnology have influenced the educational systems and the classrooms. A great number of researches have been projected in this field to demonstrate the advantages and desirable effects of neurotechnology in education and the classrooms. These researches are examinable in terms of considering both advantages and disadvantages of technology. OBJECTS The aim of this study is to demonstrate the advantages and undesirable effects of neurotechnology in education and the classrooms. METHODS This article surveys the fourteen recent researches about using neurotechnology in education and the classrooms in the framework of critical theory to discuss the adverse and undesired effects of neurotechnology as well as their neglected aspects in education and the classrooms. FINDINGS The findings illuminate that crucial disadvantages of neurotechnology are neglected in using computerbased tools in education and the classrooms and their side effects on the participants in the process of learning. CONCLUSIONS The new methods in neuroscience and neurotechnology have influenced the educational systems and the classrooms. A considerable number of researches have been projected in this field that all try to demonstrate the advantages and desirable effects of neurotechnology in education and the classrooms, but they consciously or unconsciously neglect the immoral and unscrupulous effects of such technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javad Alipoor
- Department of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Social Science, The University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
| | - Hatef Pourrashidi
- Research Center for Religion and Denominations, The University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran
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3
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Mathewson KE, Kuziek JP, Scanlon JEM, Robles D. The moving wave: Applications of the mobile EEG approach to study human attention. Psychophysiology 2024:e14603. [PMID: 38798056 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.14603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Although historically confined to traditional research laboratories, electroencephalography (EEG) paradigms are now being applied to study a wide array of behaviors, from daily activities to specialized tasks in diverse fields such as sports science, neurorehabilitation, and education. This transition from traditional to real-world mobile research can provide new tools for understanding attentional processes as they occur naturally. Early mobile EEG research has made progress, despite the large size and wired connections. Recent developments in hardware and software have expanded the possibilities of mobile EEG, enabling a broader range of applications. Despite these advancements, limitations influencing mobile EEG remain that must be overcome to achieve adequate reliability and validity. In this review, we first assess the feasibility of mobile paradigms, including electrode selection, artifact correction techniques, and methodological considerations. This review underscores the importance of ecological, construct, and predictive validity in ensuring the trustworthiness and applicability of mobile EEG findings. Second, we explore studies on attention in naturalistic settings, focusing on replicating classic P3 component studies in mobile paradigms like stationary biking in our lab, and activities such as walking, cycling, and dual-tasking outside of the lab. We emphasize how the mobile approach complements traditional laboratory paradigms and the types of insights gained in naturalistic research settings. Third, we discuss promising applications of portable EEG in workplace safety and other areas including road safety, rehabilitation medicine, and brain-computer interfaces. In summary, this review explores the expanding possibilities of mobile EEG while recognizing the existing challenges in fully realizing its potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle E Mathewson
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jonathan P Kuziek
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Daniel Robles
- Department of Psychology, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
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4
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Bonnaire J, Dumas G, Cassell J. Bringing together multimodal and multilevel approaches to study the emergence of social bonds between children and improve social AI. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2024; 5:1290256. [PMID: 38827377 PMCID: PMC11140154 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2024.1290256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/04/2024]
Abstract
This protocol paper outlines an innovative multimodal and multilevel approach to studying the emergence and evolution of how children build social bonds with their peers, and its potential application to improving social artificial intelligence (AI). We detail a unique hyperscanning experimental framework utilizing functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to observe inter-brain synchrony in child dyads during collaborative tasks and social interactions. Our proposed longitudinal study spans middle childhood, aiming to capture the dynamic development of social connections and cognitive engagement in naturalistic settings. To do so we bring together four kinds of data: the multimodal conversational behaviors that dyads of children engage in, evidence of their state of interpersonal rapport, collaborative performance on educational tasks, and inter-brain synchrony. Preliminary pilot data provide foundational support for our approach, indicating promising directions for identifying neural patterns associated with productive social interactions. The planned research will explore the neural correlates of social bond formation, informing the creation of a virtual peer learning partner in the field of Social Neuroergonomics. This protocol promises significant contributions to understanding the neural basis of social connectivity in children, while also offering a blueprint for designing empathetic and effective social AI tools, particularly for educational contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Guillaume Dumas
- Research Center of the CHU Sainte-Justine, Department of Psychiatry, University of Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
- Mila–Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Justine Cassell
- Inria Paris Centre, Paris, France
- School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
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5
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Grootjans Y, Harrewijn A, Fornari L, Janssen T, de Bruijn ERA, van Atteveldt N, Franken IHA. Getting closer to social interactions using electroencephalography in developmental cognitive neuroscience. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 67:101391. [PMID: 38759529 PMCID: PMC11127236 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101391] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The field of developmental cognitive neuroscience is advancing rapidly, with large-scale, population-wide, longitudinal studies emerging as a key means of unraveling the complexity of the developing brain and cognitive processes in children. While numerous neuroscientific techniques like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), magnetoencephalography (MEG), and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) have proved advantageous in such investigations, this perspective proposes a renewed focus on electroencephalography (EEG), leveraging underexplored possibilities of EEG. In addition to its temporal precision, low costs, and ease of application, EEG distinguishes itself with its ability to capture neural activity linked to social interactions in increasingly ecologically valid settings. Specifically, EEG can be measured during social interactions in the lab, hyperscanning can be used to study brain activity in two (or more) people simultaneously, and mobile EEG can be used to measure brain activity in real-life settings. This perspective paper summarizes research in these three areas, making a persuasive argument for the renewed inclusion of EEG into the toolkit of developmental cognitive and social neuroscientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yvette Grootjans
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Anita Harrewijn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Laura Fornari
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology & Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Tieme Janssen
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology & Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | - Nienke van Atteveldt
- Department of Clinical, Neuro, and Developmental Psychology & Institute LEARN!, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Ingmar H A Franken
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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6
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Zhou X, Hong X, Wong PCM. Autistic Traits Modulate Social Synchronizations Between School-Aged Children: Insights From Three fNIRS Hyperscanning Experiments. Psychol Sci 2024:9567976241237699. [PMID: 38743614 DOI: 10.1177/09567976241237699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The current study investigated how autistic traits modulate peer interactions using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning. Across three experiments, we tested the effect of copresence, joint activity, and a tangible goal during cooperative interactions on interbrain coherence (IBC) in school-aged children between 9 and 11 years old. Twenty-three dyads of children watched a video alone or together in Experiment 1, engaged in joint or self-paced book reading in Experiment 2, and pretended to play a Jenga game or played for real in Experiment 3. We found that all three formats of social interactions increased IBC in the frontotemporoparietal networks, which have been reported to support social interaction. Further, our results revealed the shared and unique interbrain connections that were predictive of the lower and higher parent-reported autism-spectrum quotient scores, which indicated child autistic traits. Results from a convergence of three experiments provide the first evidence to date that IBC is modulated by child autistic traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhou
- Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Brain and Mind Institute, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
- National Acoustic Laboratories, Macquarie Park, Australia
| | - Xuancu Hong
- Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
| | - Patrick C M Wong
- Department of Linguistics and Modern Languages, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Brain and Mind Institute, the Chinese University of Hong Kong
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7
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Sievers B, Welker C, Hasson U, Kleinbaum AM, Wheatley T. Consensus-building conversation leads to neural alignment. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3936. [PMID: 38729961 PMCID: PMC11087652 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43253-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Conversation is a primary means of social influence, but its effects on brain activity remain unknown. Previous work on conversation and social influence has emphasized public compliance, largely setting private beliefs aside. Here, we show that consensus-building conversation aligns future brain activity within groups, with alignment persisting through novel experiences participants did not discuss. Participants watched ambiguous movie clips during fMRI scanning, then conversed in groups with the goal of coming to a consensus about each clip's narrative. After conversation, participants' brains were scanned while viewing the clips again, along with novel clips from the same movies. Groups that reached consensus showed greater similarity of brain activity after conversation. Participants perceived as having high social status spoke more and signaled disbelief in others, and their groups had unequal turn-taking and lower neural alignment. By contrast, participants with central positions in their real-world social networks encouraged others to speak, facilitating greater group neural alignment. Socially central participants were also more likely to become neurally aligned to others in their groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beau Sievers
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA.
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Christopher Welker
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Uri Hasson
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute and Department of Psychology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544, USA
| | - Adam M Kleinbaum
- Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Thalia Wheatley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, 87501, USA
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8
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Jia T, Sun J, McGeady C, Ji L, Li C. Enhancing Brain-Computer Interface Performance by Incorporating Brain-to-Brain Coupling. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2024; 5:0116. [PMID: 38680535 PMCID: PMC11052607 DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Human cooperation relies on key features of social interaction in order to reach desirable outcomes. Similarly, human-robot interaction may benefit from integration with human-human interaction factors. In this paper, we aim to investigate brain-to-brain coupling during motor imagery (MI)-based brain-computer interface (BCI) training using eye-contact and hand-touch interaction. Twelve pairs of friends (experimental group) and 10 pairs of strangers (control group) were recruited for MI-based BCI tests concurrent with electroencephalography (EEG) hyperscanning. Event-related desynchronization (ERD) was estimated to measure cortical activation, and interbrain functional connectivity was assessed using multilevel statistical analysis. Furthermore, we compared BCI classification performance under different social interaction conditions. In the experimental group, greater ERD was found around the contralateral sensorimotor cortex under social interaction conditions compared with MI without any social interaction. Notably, EEG channels with decreased power were mainly distributed around the frontal, central, and occipital regions. A significant increase in interbrain coupling was also found under social interaction conditions. BCI decoding accuracies were significantly improved in the eye contact condition and eye and hand contact condition compared with the no-interaction condition. However, for the strangers' group, no positive effects were observed in comparisons of cortical activations between interaction and no-interaction conditions. These findings indicate that social interaction can improve the neural synchronization between familiar partners with enhanced brain activations and brain-to-brain coupling. This study may provide a novel method for enhancing MI-based BCI performance in conjunction with neural synchronization between users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianyu Jia
- Lab of Intelligent and Biomimetic Machinery, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Department of Bioengineering,
Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Jingyao Sun
- Lab of Intelligent and Biomimetic Machinery, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Ciarán McGeady
- Department of Bioengineering,
Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Linhong Ji
- Lab of Intelligent and Biomimetic Machinery, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Chong Li
- Lab of Intelligent and Biomimetic Machinery, Department of Mechanical Engineering,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- School of Clinical Medicine,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Tsinghua Changgung Hospital,
Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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9
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Marriot Haresign I, A M Phillips E, V Wass S. Why behaviour matters: Studying inter-brain coordination during child-caregiver interaction. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 67:101384. [PMID: 38657470 PMCID: PMC11059326 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2024.101384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Modern technology allows for simultaneous neuroimaging from interacting caregiver-child dyads. Whereas most analyses that examine the coordination between brain regions within an individual brain do so by measuring changes relative to observed events, studies that examine coordination between two interacting brains generally do this by measuring average intra-brain coordination across entire blocks or experimental conditions. In other words, they do not examine changes in inter-brain coordination relative to individual behavioural events. Here, we discuss the limitations of this approach. First, we present data suggesting that fine-grained temporal interdependencies in behaviour can leave residual artifact in neuroimaging data. We show how artifact can manifest as both power and (through that) phase synchrony effects in EEG and affect wavelet transform coherence in fNIRS analyses. Second, we discuss different possible mechanistic explanations of how inter-brain coordination is established and maintained. We argue that non-event-locked approaches struggle to differentiate between them. Instead, we contend that approaches which examine how interpersonal dynamics change around behavioural events have better potential for addressing possible artifactual confounds and for teasing apart the overlapping mechanisms that drive changes in inter-brain coordination.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sam V Wass
- Department of Psychology, University of East London, London, UK
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10
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Hernández-Mustieles MA, Lima-Carmona YE, Pacheco-Ramírez MA, Mendoza-Armenta AA, Romero-Gómez JE, Cruz-Gómez CF, Rodríguez-Alvarado DC, Arceo A, Cruz-Garza JG, Ramírez-Moreno MA, Lozoya-Santos JDJ. Wearable Biosensor Technology in Education: A Systematic Review. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:2437. [PMID: 38676053 PMCID: PMC11054421 DOI: 10.3390/s24082437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Wearable Biosensor Technology (WBT) has emerged as a transformative tool in the educational system over the past decade. This systematic review encompasses a comprehensive analysis of WBT utilization in educational settings over a 10-year span (2012-2022), highlighting the evolution of this field to address challenges in education by integrating technology to solve specific educational challenges, such as enhancing student engagement, monitoring stress and cognitive load, improving learning experiences, and providing real-time feedback for both students and educators. By exploring these aspects, this review sheds light on the potential implications of WBT on the future of learning. A rigorous and systematic search of major academic databases, including Google Scholar and Scopus, was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Relevant studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The articles selected were assessed for methodological quality and bias using established tools. The process of data extraction and synthesis followed a structured framework. Key findings include the shift from theoretical exploration to practical implementation, with EEG being the predominant measurement, aiming to explore mental states, physiological constructs, and teaching effectiveness. Wearable biosensors are significantly impacting the educational field, serving as an important resource for educators and a tool for students. Their application has the potential to transform and optimize academic practices through sensors that capture biometric data, enabling the implementation of metrics and models to understand the development and performance of students and professors in an academic environment, as well as to gain insights into the learning process.
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Affiliation(s)
- María A. Hernández-Mustieles
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - Yoshua E. Lima-Carmona
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - Maxine A. Pacheco-Ramírez
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - Axel A. Mendoza-Armenta
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - José Esteban Romero-Gómez
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Guadalajara Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Guadalajara 45201, Mexico;
| | - César F. Cruz-Gómez
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - Diana C. Rodríguez-Alvarado
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - Alejandro Arceo
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - Jesús G. Cruz-Garza
- Department of Neurosurgery, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA;
| | - Mauricio A. Ramírez-Moreno
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
| | - Jorge de J. Lozoya-Santos
- Mechatronics Department, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey Campus, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey 64700, Mexico; (M.A.H.-M.); (Y.E.L.-C.); (M.A.P.-R.); (A.A.M.-A.); (C.F.C.-G.); (D.C.R.-A.); (A.A.); (M.A.R.-M.)
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11
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Réveillé C, Vergotte G, Perrey S, Bosselut G. Using interbrain synchrony to study teamwork: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 159:105593. [PMID: 38373643 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
It has been proposed that interbrain synchrony (IBS) may help to elucidate the neural mechanisms underpinning teamwork. As hyperscanning studies have provided abundant findings on IBS in team environments, the current review aims to synthesize the findings of hyperscanning studies in a way that is relevant to the teamwork research. A systematic review was conducted. Included studies were classified according to the IPO (i.e. input, process, output) model of teamwork. Three multi-level meta-analyses were performed to quantify the associations between IBS and the three IPO variables. The methodology followed PRISMA guidelines and the protocol was pre-registered (https://osf.io/7h8sa/). Of the 229 studies, 41 were included, representing 1326 teams. The three meta-analyses found statistically significant positive effects, indicating a positive association between IBS and the three IPO teamwork variables. This study provides evidence that IBS is a relevant measure of the teamwork process and argues for the continued use of IBS to study teamwork.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coralie Réveillé
- EuroMov Digital Health in Motion (Univ Montpellier, IMT Mines d'Alès), 700 avenue du Pic Saint Loup, Montpellier 34090, France.
| | - Grégoire Vergotte
- EuroMov Digital Health in Motion (Univ Montpellier, IMT Mines d'Alès), 700 avenue du Pic Saint Loup, Montpellier 34090, France
| | - Stéphane Perrey
- EuroMov Digital Health in Motion (Univ Montpellier, IMT Mines d'Alès), 700 avenue du Pic Saint Loup, Montpellier 34090, France
| | - Grégoire Bosselut
- EuroMov Digital Health in Motion (Univ Montpellier, IMT Mines d'Alès), 700 avenue du Pic Saint Loup, Montpellier 34090, France
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12
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Riddle J, Schooler JW. Hierarchical consciousness: the Nested Observer Windows model. Neurosci Conscious 2024; 2024:niae010. [PMID: 38504828 PMCID: PMC10949963 DOI: 10.1093/nc/niae010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Foremost in our experience is the intuition that we possess a unified conscious experience. However, many observations run counter to this intuition: we experience paralyzing indecision when faced with two appealing behavioral choices, we simultaneously hold contradictory beliefs, and the content of our thought is often characterized by an internal debate. Here, we propose the Nested Observer Windows (NOW) Model, a framework for hierarchical consciousness wherein information processed across many spatiotemporal scales of the brain feeds into subjective experience. The model likens the mind to a hierarchy of nested mosaic tiles-where an image is composed of mosaic tiles, and each of these tiles is itself an image composed of mosaic tiles. Unitary consciousness exists at the apex of this nested hierarchy where perceptual constructs become fully integrated and complex behaviors are initiated via abstract commands. We define an observer window as a spatially and temporally constrained system within which information is integrated, e.g. in functional brain regions and neurons. Three principles from the signal analysis of electrical activity describe the nested hierarchy and generate testable predictions. First, nested observer windows disseminate information across spatiotemporal scales with cross-frequency coupling. Second, observer windows are characterized by a high degree of internal synchrony (with zero phase lag). Third, observer windows at the same spatiotemporal level share information with each other through coherence (with non-zero phase lag). The theoretical framework of the NOW Model accounts for a wide range of subjective experiences and a novel approach for integrating prominent theories of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin Riddle
- Department of Psychology, Florida State University, 1107 W Call St, Tallahassee, FL 32304, USA
| | - Jonathan W Schooler
- Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, Psychological & Brain Sciences, Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
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Wohltjen S, Wheatley T. Interpersonal eye-tracking reveals the dynamics of interacting minds. Front Hum Neurosci 2024; 18:1356680. [PMID: 38532792 PMCID: PMC10963423 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2024.1356680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The human eye is a rich source of information about where, when, and how we attend. Our gaze paths indicate where and what captures our attention, while changes in pupil size can signal surprise, revealing our expectations. Similarly, the pattern of our blinks suggests levels of alertness and when our attention shifts between external engagement and internal thought. During interactions with others, these cues reveal how we coordinate and share our mental states. To leverage these insights effectively, we need accurate, timely methods to observe these cues as they naturally unfold. Advances in eye-tracking technology now enable real-time observation of these cues, shedding light on mutual cognitive processes that foster shared understanding, collaborative thought, and social connection. This brief review highlights these advances and the new opportunities they present for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Wohltjen
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin–Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Thalia Wheatley
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Consortium for Interacting Minds, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, United States
- Santa Fe Institute, Santa Fe, NM, United States
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14
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Konrad K, Gerloff C, Kohl SH, Mehler DMA, Mehlem L, Volbert EL, Komorek M, Henn AT, Boecker M, Weiss E, Reindl V. Interpersonal neural synchrony and mental disorders: unlocking potential pathways for clinical interventions. Front Neurosci 2024; 18:1286130. [PMID: 38529267 PMCID: PMC10962391 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2024.1286130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Interpersonal synchronization involves the alignment of behavioral, affective, physiological, and brain states during social interactions. It facilitates empathy, emotion regulation, and prosocial commitment. Mental disorders characterized by social interaction dysfunction, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), and Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), often exhibit atypical synchronization with others across multiple levels. With the introduction of the "second-person" neuroscience perspective, our understanding of interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) has improved, however, so far, it has hardly impacted the development of novel therapeutic interventions. Methods To evaluate the potential of INS-based treatments for mental disorders, we performed two systematic literature searches identifying studies that directly target INS through neurofeedback (12 publications; 9 independent studies) or brain stimulation techniques (7 studies), following PRISMA guidelines. In addition, we narratively review indirect INS manipulations through behavioral, biofeedback, or hormonal interventions. We discuss the potential of such treatments for ASD, RAD, and SAD and using a systematic database search assess the acceptability of neurofeedback (4 studies) and neurostimulation (4 studies) in patients with social dysfunction. Results Although behavioral approaches, such as engaging in eye contact or cooperative actions, have been shown to be associated with increased INS, little is known about potential long-term consequences of such interventions. Few proof-of-concept studies have utilized brain stimulation techniques, like transcranial direct current stimulation or INS-based neurofeedback, showing feasibility and preliminary evidence that such interventions can boost behavioral synchrony and social connectedness. Yet, optimal brain stimulation protocols and neurofeedback parameters are still undefined. For ASD, RAD, or SAD, so far no randomized controlled trial has proven the efficacy of direct INS-based intervention techniques, although in general brain stimulation and neurofeedback methods seem to be well accepted in these patient groups. Discussion Significant work remains to translate INS-based manipulations into effective treatments for social interaction disorders. Future research should focus on mechanistic insights into INS, technological advancements, and rigorous design standards. Furthermore, it will be key to compare interventions directly targeting INS to those targeting other modalities of synchrony as well as to define optimal target dyads and target synchrony states in clinical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Konrad
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - Christian Gerloff
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Cambridge Centre for Data-Driven Discovery, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Simon H. Kohl
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- JARA Brain Institute II, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging (INM-11), Jülich Research Centre, Jülich, Germany
| | - David M. A. Mehler
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Medical School, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
- School of Psychology, Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Center (CUBRIC), Cardiff University, Cardiff, United Kingdom
| | - Lena Mehlem
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Emily L. Volbert
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Maike Komorek
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Alina T. Henn
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Maren Boecker
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Eileen Weiss
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology and Medical Sociology, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
| | - Vanessa Reindl
- Child Neuropsychology Section, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, University Hospital RWTH, Aachen, Germany
- Department of Psychology, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore
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15
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Sabio J, Williams NS, McArthur GM, Badcock NA. A scoping review on the use of consumer-grade EEG devices for research. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0291186. [PMID: 38446762 PMCID: PMC10917334 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Commercial electroencephalography (EEG) devices have become increasingly available over the last decade. These devices have been used in a wide variety of fields ranging from engineering to cognitive neuroscience. PURPOSE The aim of this study was to chart peer-review articles that used consumer-grade EEG devices to collect neural data. We provide an overview of the research conducted with these relatively more affordable and user-friendly devices. We also inform future research by exploring the current and potential scope of consumer-grade EEG. METHODS We followed a five-stage methodological framework for a scoping review that included a systematic search using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. We searched the following online databases: PsycINFO, MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and IEEE Xplore. We charted study data according to application (BCI, experimental research, validation, signal processing, and clinical) and location of use as indexed by the first author's country. RESULTS We identified 916 studies that used data recorded with consumer-grade EEG: 531 were reported in journal articles and 385 in conference papers. Emotiv devices were used most, followed by the NeuroSky MindWave, OpenBCI, interaXon Muse, and MyndPlay Mindband. The most common usage was for brain-computer interfaces, followed by experimental research, signal processing, validation, and clinical purposes. CONCLUSIONS Consumer-grade EEG is a useful tool for neuroscientific research and will likely continue to be used well into the future. Our study provides a comprehensive review of their application, as well as future directions for researchers who plan to use these devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Sabio
- School of Psychology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
| | - Nikolas S. Williams
- School of Psychological Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Emotiv Inc., San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Genevieve M. McArthur
- School of Psychological Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicholas A. Badcock
- School of Psychological Science, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
- School of Psychological Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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16
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Ni J, Yang J, Ma Y. Social bonding in groups of humans selectively increases inter-status information exchange and prefrontal neural synchronization. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002545. [PMID: 38502637 PMCID: PMC10950240 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Social groups in various social species are organized with hierarchical structures that shape group dynamics and the nature of within-group interactions. In-group social bonding, exemplified by grooming behaviors among animals and collective rituals and team-building activities in human societies, is recognized as a practical adaptive strategy to foster group harmony and stabilize hierarchical structures in both human and nonhuman animal groups. However, the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying the effects of social bonding on hierarchical groups remain largely unexplored. Here, we conducted simultaneous neural recordings on human participants engaged in-group communications within small hierarchical groups (n = 528, organized into 176 three-person groups) to investigate how social bonding influenced hierarchical interactions and neural synchronizations. We differentiated interpersonal interactions between individuals of different (inter-status) or same (intra-status) social status and observed distinct effects of social bonding on inter-status and intra-status interactions. Specifically, social bonding selectively increased frequent and rapid information exchange and prefrontal neural synchronization for inter-status dyads but not intra-status dyads. Furthermore, social bonding facilitated unidirectional neural alignment from group leader to followers, enabling group leaders to predictively align their prefrontal activity with that of followers. These findings provide insights into how social bonding influences hierarchical dynamics and neural synchronization while highlighting the role of social status in shaping the strength and nature of social bonding experiences in human groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Jiaxin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Yina Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Brain Imaging and Connectomics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research, Beijing, China
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17
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Deng X, Chen K, Chen X, Zhang L, Lin M, Li X, Gao Q. Parental involvement affects parent-adolescents brain-to-brain synchrony when experiencing different emotions together: An EEG-based hyperscanning study. Behav Brain Res 2024; 458:114734. [PMID: 37926335 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2023.114734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Parental involvement (PI) is a broad and multifaceted construct, which refers to the parental demonstration of interest in their child, caring, and warmth (Davis et al., 2021). Parental involvement affects parent-adolescent's relationship and communication. However, there was little research to examine the underlying neural mechanism. The present study aimed to explore how parental involvement is associated with the brain-to-brain synchronous activation between parent-adolescent dyads when sharing emotional experience together by using the electroencephalograph (EEG) hyperscanning. EEG was recorded simultaneously in a sample of 26 parent-adolescent dyads (Mparents'age=43.312, SD=5.468; Madolescents' age=12.077, SD=1.412) when completing the picture processing task. Phase locking values (PLVs) in beta band and gamma band were used to compare the differences in the parent-adolescent dyads' induced brain-to-brain synchrony between the high parental involvement group (HPI) and the low parental involvement group (LPI). Results showed that greater beta brain-to-brain synchrony was observed in the HPIs than in the LPIs when experiencing positive emotions together in the central region. However, there was no significant difference between the HPIs and the LPIs in the negative and neutral condition. Moreover, greater gamma brain-to-brain synchrony was observed when viewing negative emotional stimuli together than viewing positive emotional stimuli together in the LPIs in the central region. However, there was no significant difference between different emotional conditions in the HPIs. Findings of the present study provide neuroscientific evidence that parental involvement may strengthen parent-adolescent's emotional interaction and communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmei Deng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Center for Mental Health, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kexin Chen
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaoming Chen
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Zhang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Fushun No.1 Middle School, Zigong, China
| | - Mingping Lin
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Lihu Subdistrict No. 1 Primary School, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqing Li
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; Center for Mental Health, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Qiufeng Gao
- Department of Society, School of Government, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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18
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Lamontagne A, Gaunet F. Behavioural Synchronisation between Dogs and Humans: Unveiling Interspecific Motor Resonance? Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:548. [PMID: 38396516 PMCID: PMC10886274 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Dogs' behavioural synchronisation with humans is of growing scientific interest. However, studies lack a comprehensive exploration of the neurocognitive foundations of this social cognitive ability. Drawing parallels from the mechanisms underlying behavioural synchronisation in humans, specifically motor resonance and the recruitment of mirror neurons, we hypothesise that dogs' behavioural synchronisation with humans is underpinned by a similar mechanism, namely interspecific motor resonance. Based on a literature review, we argue that dogs possess the prerequisites for motor resonance, and we suggest that interspecific behavioural synchronisation relies on the activation of both human and canine mirror neurons. Furthermore, interspecific behavioural studies highlight certain characteristics of motor resonance, including motor contagion and its social modulators. While these findings strongly suggest the potential existence of interspecific motor resonance, direct proof remains to be established. Our analysis thus paves the way for future research to confirm the existence of interspecific motor resonance as the neurocognitive foundation for interspecific behavioural synchronisation. Unravelling the neurocognitive mechanisms underlying this behavioural adjustment holds profound implications for understanding the evolutionary dynamics of dogs alongside humans and improving the day-to-day management of dog-human interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélique Lamontagne
- Centre de Recherche en Psychologie et Neuroscience (UMR 7077), Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseille, Cedex 03, France
- Association Agir pour la Vie Animale (AVA), 76220 Cuy-Saint-Fiacre, France
| | - Florence Gaunet
- Centre de Recherche en Psychologie et Neuroscience (UMR 7077), Aix-Marseille University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 3 Place Victor Hugo, 13331 Marseille, Cedex 03, France
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19
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Xu X, Kong Q, Zhang D, Zhang Y. An evaluation of inter-brain EEG coupling methods in hyperscanning studies. Cogn Neurodyn 2024; 18:67-83. [PMID: 38406199 PMCID: PMC10881924 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-022-09911-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
EEG-based hyperscanning technology has been increasingly applied to analyze interpersonal interactions in social neuroscience in recent years. However, different methods are employed in various of studies without a complete investigation of the suitability of these methods. Our study aimed to systematically compare typical inter-brain EEG coupling methods, with simulated EEG data generated by real EEG data. In particular, two critical metrics of noise level and time delay were manipulated, and three different coupling models were tested. The results revealed that: (1) under certain conditions, various methods were leveraged by noise level and time delay, leading to different performances; (2) most algorithms achieved better experimental results and performance under high coupling degree; (3) with our simulation process, temporal and spectral models showed relatively good results, while data simulated with phase coupling model performed worse. This is the first systematic comparison of typical inter-brain EEG coupling methods, with simulated EEG data generated by real EEG data from different subjects. Existing methods mainly focused on intra-brain coupling. To our knowledge, there was only one previous study that compared five inter-brain EEG coupling methods (Burgess in Front Human Neurosci 7:881, 2013). However, the simulated data used in this study were generated time series with varied degrees of phase coupling without considering any EEG characteristics. For future research, appropriate methods need to be selected based on possible underlying mechanisms (temporal, spectral and phase coupling model hypothesis) of a specific study, as well as the expected coupling degree and conditions. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11571-022-09911-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaomeng Xu
- Institute of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Qiuyue Kong
- School of Public Health, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA USA
| | - Dan Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Institute of Education, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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20
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Yu H, Xu M, Xiao X, Xu F, Ming D. Detection of dynamic changes of electrodermal activity to predict the classroom performance of college students. Cogn Neurodyn 2024; 18:173-184. [PMID: 38406194 PMCID: PMC10881450 DOI: 10.1007/s11571-023-09930-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 12/02/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023] Open
Abstract
It is emphasized in the Self-regulated learning (SRL) framework that self-monitoring of learning state is vital for students to keep effective in studying. However, it's still challenging to get an accurate and timely understanding of their learning states during classes. In this study, we propose to use electrodermal activity (EDA) signals which are deemed to be associated with physiological arousal state to predict the college student's classroom performance. Twenty college students were recruited to attend eight lectures in the classroom, during which their EDA signals were recorded simultaneously. For each lecture, the students should complete pre- and after-class tests, and a self-reported scale (SRS) on their learning experience. EDA indices were extracted from both time and frequency domains, and they were furtherly mapped to the student's learning efficiency. As a result, the indices relevant to the dynamic changes of EDA had significant positive correlations with the learning efficiency. Furthermore, compared with only using SRS, a combination with EDA indices had significantly higher accuracy in predicting the learning efficiency. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that the EDA dynamics are sensitive to the changes in learning efficiency, suggesting a promising approach to predicting the classroom performance of college students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiqing Yu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Minpeng Xu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Xiaolin Xiao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Fangzhou Xu
- Department of Physics, School of Electronic and Information Engineering, Qilu University of Technology, Jinan, Shandong China
| | - Dong Ming
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Precision Instruments and Optoelectronics Engineering, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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21
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Dikker S, Brito NH, Dumas G. It takes a village: A multi-brain approach to studying multigenerational family communication. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 65:101330. [PMID: 38091864 PMCID: PMC10716709 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2023] [Revised: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Grandparents play a critical role in child rearing across the globe. Yet, there is a shortage of neurobiological research examining the relationship between grandparents and their grandchildren. We employ multi-brain neurocomputational models to simulate how changes in neurophysiological processes in both development and healthy aging affect multigenerational inter-brain coupling - a neural marker that has been linked to a range of socio-emotional and cognitive outcomes. The simulations suggest that grandparent-child interactions may be paired with higher inter-brain coupling than parent-child interactions, raising the possibility that the former may be more advantageous under certain conditions. Critically, this enhancement of inter-brain coupling for grandparent-child interactions is more pronounced in tri-generational interactions that also include a parent, which may speak to findings that grandparent involvement in childrearing is most beneficial if the parent is also an active household member. Together, these findings underscore that a better understanding of the neurobiological basis of cross-generational interactions is vital, and that such knowledge can be helpful in guiding interventions that consider the whole family. We advocate for a community neuroscience approach in developmental social neuroscience to capture the diversity of child-caregiver relationships in real-world settings.
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22
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Bánki A, Köster M, Cichy RM, Hoehl S. Communicative signals during joint attention promote neural processes of infants and caregivers. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2024; 65:101321. [PMID: 38061133 PMCID: PMC10754706 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101321] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Communicative signals such as eye contact increase infants' brain activation to visual stimuli and promote joint attention. Our study assessed whether communicative signals during joint attention enhance infant-caregiver dyads' neural responses to objects, and their neural synchrony. To track mutual attention processes, we applied rhythmic visual stimulation (RVS), presenting images of objects to 12-month-old infants and their mothers (n = 37 dyads), while we recorded dyads' brain activity (i.e., steady-state visual evoked potentials, SSVEPs) with electroencephalography (EEG) hyperscanning. Within dyads, mothers either communicatively showed the images to their infant or watched the images without communicative engagement. Communicative cues increased infants' and mothers' SSVEPs at central-occipital-parietal, and central electrode sites, respectively. Infants showed significantly more gaze behaviour to images during communicative engagement. Dyadic neural synchrony (SSVEP amplitude envelope correlations, AECs) was not modulated by communicative cues. Taken together, maternal communicative cues in joint attention increase infants' neural responses to objects, and shape mothers' own attention processes. We show that communicative cues enhance cortical visual processing, thus play an essential role in social learning. Future studies need to elucidate the effect of communicative cues on neural synchrony during joint attention. Finally, our study introduces RVS to study infant-caregiver neural dynamics in social contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Bánki
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Moritz Köster
- University of Regensburg, Institute for Psychology, Regensburg, Germany; Freie Universität Berlin, Faculty of Education and Psychology, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Stefanie Hoehl
- University of Vienna, Faculty of Psychology, Vienna, Austria
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23
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Mayo O, Shamay-Tsoory S. Dynamic mutual predictions during social learning: A computational and interbrain model. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 157:105513. [PMID: 38135267 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
During social interactions, we constantly learn about the thoughts, feelings, and personality traits of our interaction partners. Learning in social interactions is critical for bond formation and acquiring knowledge. Importantly, this type of learning is typically bi-directional, as both partners learn about each other simultaneously. Here we review the literature on social learning and propose a new computational and neural model characterizing mutual predictions that take place within and between interactions. According to our model, each partner in the interaction attempts to minimize the prediction error of the self and the interaction partner. In most cases, these inferential models become similar over time, thus enabling mutual understanding to develop. At the neural level, this type of social learning may be supported by interbrain plasticity, defined as a change in interbrain coupling over time in neural networks associated with social learning, among them the mentalizing network, the observation-execution system, and the hippocampus. The mutual prediction model constitutes a promising means of providing empirically verifiable accounts of how relationships develop over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oded Mayo
- The Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel.
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24
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Cheng X, Wang S, Guo B, Wang Q, Hu Y, Pan Y. How self-disclosure of negative experiences shapes prosociality? Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2024; 19:nsae003. [PMID: 38324732 PMCID: PMC10868127 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsae003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
People frequently share their negative experiences and feelings with others. Little is known, however, about the social outcomes of sharing negative experiences and the underlying neural mechanisms. We addressed this dearth of knowledge by leveraging functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning: while dyad participants took turns to share their own (self-disclosure group) or a stranger's (non-disclosure group) negative and neutral experiences, their respective brain activity was recorded simultaneously by fNIRS. We observed that sharing negative (relative to neutral) experiences enhanced greater mutual prosociality, emotional empathy and interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) at the left superior frontal cortex in the self-disclosure group compared to the non-disclosure group. Importantly, mediation analyses further revealed that in the self-disclosure (but not non-disclosure) group, the increased emotional empathy and INS elicited by sharing negative experiences relative to sharing neutral experiences promoted the enhanced prosociality through increasing interpersonal liking. These results indicate that self-disclosure of negative experiences can promote prosocial behaviors via social dynamics (defined as social affective and cognitive factors, including empathy and liking) and shared neural responses. Our findings suggest that when people express negative sentiments, they incline to follow up with positive actions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Cheng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Shuqi Wang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Bing Guo
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Qiao Wang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yinying Hu
- School of Psychology, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China
| | - Yafeng Pan
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- The State Key Lab of Brain-Machine Intelligence, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
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25
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Chang CHC, Nastase SA, Hasson U. How a speaker herds the audience: Multi-brain neural convergence over time during naturalistic storytelling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.10.561803. [PMID: 37873125 PMCID: PMC10592711 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.10.561803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Storytelling-an ancient way for humans to share individual experiences with others-has been found to induce neural synchronization among listeners. In our exploration of the dynamic fluctuations in listener-listener (LL) coupling throughout stories, we uncover a significant correlation between LL and lag-speaker-listener (lag-SL) couplings over time. Using the analogy of neural pattern (dis)similarity as distances between participants, we term this phenomenon the "herding effect": like a shepherd guiding a group of sheep, the more closely listeners follow the speaker's prior brain activity patterns (higher lag-SL similarity), the more tightly they cluster together (higher LL similarity). This herding effect is particularly pronounced in brain regions where neural synchronization among listeners tracks with behavioral ratings of narrative engagement, highlighting the mediating role of narrative content in the observed multi-brain neural coupling dynamics. By integrating LL and SL neural couplings, this study illustrates how unfolding stories shape a dynamic multi-brain functional network and how the configuration of this network may be associated with moment-by-moment efficacy of communication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire H. C. Chang
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, USA
- The Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain and Consciousness, Taipei Medical University, New Taipei City, 235, Taiwan
| | - Samuel A. Nastase
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, USA
| | - Uri Hasson
- Princeton Neuroscience Institute, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, 08540, USA
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26
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Deng X, Lin M, Li X. Mindfulness meditation enhances interbrain synchrony of adolescents when experiencing different emotions simultaneously. Cereb Cortex 2024; 34:bhad474. [PMID: 38061691 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Mindfulness is considered to benefit social behavior and interpersonal communication. However, the underlying neural mechanism has not been fully examined. This study aimed to explore how mindfulness practice affected the interbrain synchrony within adolescent peer dyads when sharing emotional experience together by using the electroencephalograph hyperscanning approach. Thirty adolescent dyads were randomly assigned to a mindfulness group or a non-mindfulness group. Mindfulness group performed a 20-min mindfulness exercise. Non-mindfulness group were instructed to rest. Simultaneously, electroencephalograph was recorded when they completed a picture-processing task. Phase-locking-value in the gamma band was used to calculate adolescent dyads' brain-to-brain synchrony. Results showed that greater interbrain synchrony in the frontal region was observed when viewing different emotional stimuli together after the mindfulness than before the mindfulness in the mindfulness group. However, there was no significant difference in the interbrain synchrony in the non-mindfulness group. Moreover, greater interbrain synchrony was observed in the mindfulness group than in the non-mindfulness group after mindfulness or rest in the frontal region. However, there was no significant difference between the mindfulness and non-mindfulness group before mindfulness or rest. The findings are discussed in light of the broader theoretical questions of how mindfulness may promote interpersonal functioning from a psychophysiological perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmei Deng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- The Shenzhen Humanities & Social Sciences Key Research Bases of the Center for Mental Health, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Mingping Lin
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Lihu Subdistrict No. 1 Primary School, Zengcheng District, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoling Li
- Overseas Chinese Town High School, Shenzhen, China
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27
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Shih YT, Wang L, Wong CHY, Sin ELL, Rauterberg M, Yuan Z, Chang L. The Effects of Distancing Design Collaboration Necessitated by COVID-19 on Brain Synchrony in Teams Compared to Co-Located Design Collaboration: A Preliminary Study. Brain Sci 2024; 14:60. [PMID: 38248275 PMCID: PMC10813062 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci14010060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2023] [Revised: 12/31/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to the widespread involvement of distributed collaboration triggered by COVID-19, it has become a new trend that has continued into the post-pandemic era. This study investigated collective performance within two collaborative environments (co-located and distancing settings) by assessing inter-brain synchrony patterns (IBS) among design collaborators using functional near-infrared spectroscopy. The preliminary study was conducted with three dyads who possessed 2-3 years of professional product design experience. Each dyad completed two designated design tasks in distinct settings. In the distributed condition, participants interacted through video conferencing in which they were allowed to communicate by verbalization and sketching using a shared digital whiteboard. To prevent the influences of different sketching tools on design outputs, we employed digital sketching for both environments. The interactions between collaborators were identified in three behaviors: verbal only, sketch only, and mixed communication (verbal and sketch). The consequences revealed a higher level of IBS when mixed communication took place in distributed conditions than in co-located conditions. Comparably, the occurrence of IBS increased when participants solely utilized sketching as the interaction approach within the co-located setting. A mixed communication method combining verbalization and sketching might lead to more coordinated cognitive processes when in physical isolation. Design collaborators are inclined to adjust their interaction behaviors in order to adapt to different design environments, strengthen the exchange of ideas, and construct design consensus. Overall, the present paper discussed the performance of virtual collaborative design based on a neurocognitive perspective, contributing valuable insights for the future intervention design that promotes effective virtual teamwork.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Teng Shih
- School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Luqian Wang
- School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Clive H. Y. Wong
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Emily L. L. Sin
- School of Design, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong
| | - Matthias Rauterberg
- Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, 5612 AZ Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Zhen Yuan
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau
| | - Leanne Chang
- School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong
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28
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Moffat R, Casale CE, Cross ES. Mobile fNIRS for exploring inter-brain synchrony across generations and time. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2024; 4:1260738. [PMID: 38234472 PMCID: PMC10790948 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2023.1260738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
While still relatively rare, longitudinal hyperscanning studies are exceptionally valuable for documenting changes in inter-brain synchrony, which may in turn underpin how behaviors develop and evolve in social settings. The generalizability and ecological validity of this experimental approach hinges on the selected imaging technique being mobile-a requirement met by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). fNIRS has most frequently been used to examine the development of inter-brain synchrony and behavior in child-parent dyads. In this position paper, we contend that dedicating attention to longitudinal and intergenerational hyperscanning stands to benefit the fields of social and cognitive neuroscience more broadly. We argue that this approach is particularly relevant for understanding the neural mechanisms underpinning intergenerational social dynamics, and potentially for benchmarking progress in psychological and social interventions, many of which are situated in intergenerational contexts. In line with our position, we highlight areas of intergenerational research that stand to be enhanced by longitudinal hyperscanning with mobile devices, describe challenges that may arise from measuring across generations in the real world, and offer potential solutions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryssa Moffat
- Social Brain Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Courtney E. Casale
- School of Psychological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Lo FY, Su CY, Chen CH. Identifying Factor Associations Emerging from an Academic Metaverse Event for Scholars in a Postpandemic World: Social Presence and Technology Self-Efficacy in Gather.Town. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:19-27. [PMID: 38197841 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2024]
Abstract
COVID-19 has prompted conferences to transition to online formats, inadvertently diminishing their emphasis on the social element. In online events, a sense of presence leading to a sense of companionship is limited in conventional conferencing platforms. Although the extant body of research on virtual conferences is growing, academic events in the Metaverse get little attention. Such events and their relevance to social presence within the Metaverse and associations among observable factors are seldom discussed. This study examined the perspectives of scholars in an online seminar during COVID-19 hosted in Gather.Town, a Metaverse-like conferencing environment. A hypothetical model was built to determine whether social presence and technology self-efficacy impact scholars' satisfaction and facilitate academic interactions. Ninety-three scholars in an academic seminar for research projects in information and computer education were polled to obtain data, which was then evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The proposed model explained 57.1 percent of the variables, and the findings showed that social presence and technology self-efficacy had a positive and significant impact on academic interactions and exchanges, as well as technology self-efficacy playing an essential role in determining overall satisfaction. However, social presence does not appear to have a direct impact on satisfaction, implying that a positive academic experience may still be achieved with or without the feature of being with others supported by the Metaverse. Although digital communication will only become more diverse and intense, it is important to understand how to maintain the basic character of human interactions virtually, even amid a pandemic. This research attempts to shed light on some critical factors in creating a conducive environment for future Metaverse-like academic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang-Ying Lo
- Center for General Education, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Yuan Su
- Department of Education, National University of Tainan, Tainan, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Huan Chen
- Department of M-Commerce and Multimedia Applications, Asia University, Taichung, Taiwan
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Zhang J, Wang Y, Leong C, Mao Y, Yuan Z. Bridging Stories and Science: An fNIRS-based hyperscanning investigation into child learning in STEM. Neuroimage 2024; 285:120486. [PMID: 38070436 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120486] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Early STEM education is crucial for later learning. This novel study utilised fNIRS to examine how STEM teaching methods (i.e., traditional, storytelling, storyboarding) affect neural activity synchronisation between teachers and students. Our results showed that left and right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for storytelling teaching versus traditional teaching, superior temporal gyrus for storyboard teaching versus traditional teaching, and left angular gyrus for storyboard and storytelling teaching were significant different in brain synchronisation. In the storytelling teaching condition, left supramarginal gyrus brain synchrony was found to improve STEM learning outcomes. In the storyboard teaching condition, IFG brain synchrony correlated positively with STEM learning improvement. The findings confirmed that story-based teaching and storyboarding can improve STEM learning efficacy at the neural level and unscored the significant role of neural synchronization as a predictor of learning outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Zhang
- Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
| | - Yihui Wang
- Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
| | - Chantat Leong
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Yidi Mao
- Faculty of Education, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China; Centre for Cognitive and Brain Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.
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31
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Riva G, Wiederhold BK, Mantovani F. Searching for the Metaverse: Neuroscience of Physical and Digital Communities. CYBERPSYCHOLOGY, BEHAVIOR AND SOCIAL NETWORKING 2024; 27:9-18. [PMID: 37057986 PMCID: PMC10794843 DOI: 10.1089/cyber.2023.0040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023]
Abstract
What distinguishes real-world communities from their online counterparts? Social and cognitive neuroscience research on social networks and collective intentionality will be used in the article to answer this question. Physical communities are born in places. And places engage "we-mode" neurobiological and cognitive processes as behavioral synchrony, shared attention, deliberate attunement, interbrain synchronization, and so on, which create coherent social networks of very different individuals who are supported by a "wisdom of crowd." Digital technologies remove physical boundaries, giving people more freedom to choose their activities and groups. At the same time, however, the lack of physical co-presence of community members significantly reduces their possibility of activating "we-mode" cognitive processes and social motivation. Because of this, unlike physical communities that allow interaction between people from varied origins and stories, digital communities are always made up of people who have the same interests and knowledge (communities of practice). This new situation disrupts the "wisdom of crowd," making the community more radical and less accurate (polarization effect), allowing influential users to wield disproportionate influence over the group's beliefs, and producing inequalities in the distribution of social capital. However, a new emergent technology-the Metaverse-has the potential to reverse this trend. Several studies have revealed that virtual and augmented reality-the major technologies underlying the Metaverse-can engage the same neurobiological and cognitive "we-mode" processes as real-world environments. If the many flaws in this technology are fixed, it might encourage people to engage in more meaningful and constructive interactions in online communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Riva
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Humane Technology Lab, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
| | - Brenda K. Wiederhold
- Virtual Reality Medical Center, La Jolla, California, USA
- Virtual Reality Medical Institute, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Fabrizia Mantovani
- Centre for Studies in Communication Sciences “Luigi Anolli” (CESCOM), Department of Human Sciences for Education “Riccardo Massa,” University of Milano Bicocca, Milan, Italy
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32
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Zhang H, Wang H, Long Y, Jiang Y, Lu C. Interpersonal neural synchronization underlies mnemonic similarity during collaborative remembering. Neuropsychologia 2023; 191:108732. [PMID: 37951386 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2023.108732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
Although collaborative remembering is a ubiquitous feature of human beings, its underlying neurocognitive process is not well understood. Here we hypothesized that interpersonal neural synchronization (INS) might underlie collaborative remembering, while real collaboration as opposed to other modes of offline collaboration should enhance INS and facilitate mnemonic similarity. To test these hypotheses, brain activity was measured simultaneously from two individuals who performed a group-based selective retrieval practice task either in a real collaboration or in a pseudo-collaboration, i.e., an individual performed the task together with a pre-recorded audio. The results showed that the memory of two individuals converged to a greater level than the chance level in real collaboration but not in control condition. Moreover, collaborative remembering was associated with significant INS increase in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) relative to the baseline in the real collaboration only. Additionally, INS increase was significantly greater in the real collaboration than in control condition. Finally, the PFC's INS increase was positively correlated with and could accurately predict the level of mnemonic similarity in real collaboration. These findings support the hypothesis that the enhanced INS underlies the cognitive process of collaborative remembering.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Zhang
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China; Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China; Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Haiman Wang
- Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China; Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, 230088, China
| | - Yuhang Long
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China
| | - Yunpeng Jiang
- Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China; Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, 300387, China; Tianjin Social Science Laboratory of Students' Mental Development and Learning, Tianjin, 300387, China
| | - Chunming Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning, IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, China.
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Minagawa Y, Hata M, Yamamoto E, Tsuzuki D, Morimoto S. Inter-brain synchrony during mother-infant interactive parenting in 3-4-month-old infants with and without an elevated likelihood of autism spectrum disorder. Cereb Cortex 2023; 33:11609-11622. [PMID: 37885119 PMCID: PMC10724871 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhad395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Maternal bonding for mammalian infants is critical for their survival. Additionally, it is important for human infants' development into social creatures. However, despite the ample neurobiological evidence of attachment for the mother's brain, the interplay of this system in infants is poorly understood. We aimed to identify the neural substrates of synchrony in mothers and infants under three interactive conditions and compare the differences between groups with (n = 16) and without (n = 71) an elevated likelihood of autism spectrum disorder by examining the inter-brain synchrony between mothers and their 3-4-month-old infants. Mother-infant hyperscanning with functional near-infrared spectroscopy was performed during breastfeeding and while each of the mother and experimenter was holding the infants. The results showed almost no group differences, with both groups demonstrating the strongest inter-brain coupling for breastfeeding. The cerebral foci underlying these couplings differed between mothers and infants: the ventral prefrontal cortex, focusing on the right orbitofrontal cortex, in the mother and the left temporoparietal junction in the infant were chiefly involved in connecting the two brains. Furthermore, these synchronizations revealed many significant correlations with behavioral measures, including subsequent language development. The maternal reward-motivational system and the infant's elementary mentalization system seem to underlie mother-infant coupling during breastfeeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuyo Minagawa
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Letters, Keio University, 4-1-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama 223-8521, Japan
- Human Biology-Microbiome-Quantum Research Center (WPI-Bio2Q), Keio University, 35 Shinanomachi, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160-8582, Japan
- Center for Advanced Research of Logic and Sensibility, Global Research Institute, Keio University, 2-15-45 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan
| | - Masahiro Hata
- Center for Advanced Research of Logic and Sensibility, Global Research Institute, Keio University, 2-15-45 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan
| | - Eriko Yamamoto
- Center for Advanced Research of Logic and Sensibility, Global Research Institute, Keio University, 2-15-45 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan
| | - Daisuke Tsuzuki
- Department of Information Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, Kochi University, 2-5-1 Akebono-cho, kochi-shi, Kochi 780-8072, Japan
| | - Satoshi Morimoto
- Center for Advanced Research of Logic and Sensibility, Global Research Institute, Keio University, 2-15-45 Mita, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8345, Japan
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Tamburro G, Fiedler P, De Fano A, Raeisi K, Khazaei M, Vaquero L, Bruña R, Oppermann H, Bertollo M, Filho E, Zappasodi F, Comani S. An ecological study protocol for the multimodal investigation of the neurophysiological underpinnings of dyadic joint action. Front Hum Neurosci 2023; 17:1305331. [PMID: 38125713 PMCID: PMC10730734 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2023.1305331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
A novel multimodal experimental setup and dyadic study protocol were designed to investigate the neurophysiological underpinnings of joint action through the synchronous acquisition of EEG, ECG, EMG, respiration and kinematic data from two individuals engaged in ecologic and naturalistic cooperative and competitive joint actions involving face-to-face real-time and real-space coordinated full body movements. Such studies are still missing because of difficulties encountered in recording reliable neurophysiological signals during gross body movements, in synchronizing multiple devices, and in defining suitable study protocols. The multimodal experimental setup includes the synchronous recording of EEG, ECG, EMG, respiration and kinematic signals of both individuals via two EEG amplifiers and a motion capture system that are synchronized via a single-board microcomputer and custom Python scripts. EEG is recorded using new dry sports electrode caps. The novel study protocol is designed to best exploit the multimodal data acquisitions. Table tennis is the dyadic motor task: it allows naturalistic and face-to-face interpersonal interactions, free in-time and in-space full body movement coordination, cooperative and competitive joint actions, and two task difficulty levels to mimic changing external conditions. Recording conditions-including minimum table tennis rally duration, sampling rate of kinematic data, total duration of neurophysiological recordings-were defined according to the requirements of a multilevel analytical approach including a neural level (hyperbrain functional connectivity, Graph Theoretical measures and Microstate analysis), a cognitive-behavioral level (integrated analysis of neural and kinematic data), and a social level (extending Network Physiology to neurophysiological data recorded from two interacting individuals). Four practical tests for table tennis skills were defined to select the study population, permitting to skill-match the dyad members and to form two groups of higher and lower skilled dyads to explore the influence of skill level on joint action performance. Psychometric instruments are included to assess personality traits and support interpretation of results. Studying joint action with our proposed protocol can advance the understanding of the neurophysiological mechanisms sustaining daily life joint actions and could help defining systems to predict cooperative or competitive behaviors before being overtly expressed, particularly useful in real-life contexts where social behavior is a main feature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Tamburro
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Patrique Fiedler
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Antonio De Fano
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Khadijeh Raeisi
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Mohammad Khazaei
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Lucia Vaquero
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Experimental Pschology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Bruña
- Center for Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Department of Radiology, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, IdISSC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hannes Oppermann
- Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Informatics, Technische Universität Ilmenau, Ilmenau, Germany
| | - Maurizio Bertollo
- Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Sciences of Aging, “University G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Edson Filho
- Wheelock College of Education and Human Development, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Filippo Zappasodi
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
| | - Silvia Comani
- Department of Neuroscience Imaging and Clinical Sciences, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
- Behavioral Imaging and Neural Dynamics Center, University “G. d’Annunzio” of Chieti–Pescara, Chieti, Italy
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Vallet W, van Wassenhove V. Can cognitive neuroscience solve the lab-dilemma by going wild? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 155:105463. [PMID: 37967734 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Reproducibility, measurability, and refutability are the foundation of the scientific method applied to empirical work. In the study of animal and human behavior, experimental protocols conducted in the lab are the most reliable means by which scientists can operationalize behaviors using controlled and parameterized setups. However, whether observations in the lab fully generalize in the real world remain legitimately disputed. The notion of "experimental design" was originally intended to ensure the generalizability of experimental findings to real-world situations. Experiments in the wild are more frequently explored and significant technological advances have been made allowing mobile neuroimaging. Yet some methodological limitations remain when testing scientific hypotheses in ecological conditions. Herein, we discuss the limitations of inferential processes derive from empirical observations in the wild. The multi-causal property of an ecological situation often lacks controls, and this major concern may prevent the replication and the reliability of behavioral observations. We discuss the epistemological and historical grounds of the induction process for behavioral and cognitive neurosciences and provide some possible heuristics for In situ experimental designs compatible with psychophysics in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Vallet
- CEA DRF/Joliot, NeuroSpin, INSERM, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France; INSERM U1028, CNRS UMR 5292, PSYR2 Team, Centre de recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon (CRNL), Université Lyon 1, 69000 Lyon, France.
| | - Virginie van Wassenhove
- CEA DRF/Joliot, NeuroSpin, INSERM, Cognitive Neuroimaging Unit, Université Paris Saclay, 91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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36
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Wong PCM. Neural Basis of Second Language Speech Learning - Past and Future: A Commentary on "The Neurocognitive Underpinnings of Second Language Processing: Knowledge Gains From the Past and Future Outlook". LANGUAGE LEARNING 2023; 73:139-142. [PMID: 38389558 PMCID: PMC10881217 DOI: 10.1111/lang.12600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
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37
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Oku AYA, Pinheiro ED, da Silva Soares R, Sato JR. Analyzing teacher-student interactions through graph theory applied to hyperscanning fNIRS data. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2023; 282:123-143. [PMID: 38035907 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2023.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
Teacher-student relationships have been found consistently important for student school effectiveness in mathematics in the last three decades. Although this observation is generally made from the teacher's perspective, neuroscience can provide new insights by establishing the neurobiological underpinning of social interactions. This paper further develops this line of research by utilizing graph theory to represent interactions between teachers and students at the neural level. Through hyperscanning with functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), we collected data from the prefrontal cortex and the temporoparietal junction of 24 dyads composed of a teacher and a student. Each dyad used a board game to perform a programming logic class that consisted of three steps: independent activities (control), presentation of concepts, and interactive exercises. Graph theory provides results regarding the strength of teacher-student interaction and the main channels involved in these interactions. We combined graph modularity and bootstrap to measure pair coactivation, thus establishing the strength of teacher-student interaction. Also, graph centrality detects the main brain channels involved during this interaction. In general, the teacher's most relevant nodes rely on the regions related to language and number processing, spatial cognition, and attention. Also, the students' most relevant nodes rely on the regions related to task management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Yumi Ambriola Oku
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil.
| | - Eneyse Dayane Pinheiro
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - Raimundo da Silva Soares
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
| | - João Ricardo Sato
- Center of Mathematics, Computing and Cognition, Federal University of ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil
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Ramírez-Moreno MA, Cruz-Garza JG, Acharya A, Chatufale G, Witt W, Gelok D, Reza G, Contreras-Vidal JL. Brain-to-brain communication during musical improvisation: a performance case study. F1000Res 2023; 11:989. [PMID: 37809054 PMCID: PMC10558998 DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.123515.3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding and predicting others' actions in ecological settings is an important research goal in social neuroscience. Here, we deployed a mobile brain-body imaging (MoBI) methodology to analyze inter-brain communication between professional musicians during a live jazz performance. Specifically, bispectral analysis was conducted to assess the synchronization of scalp electroencephalographic (EEG) signals from three expert musicians during a three-part 45 minute jazz performance, during which a new musician joined every five minutes. The bispectrum was estimated for all musician dyads, electrode combinations, and five frequency bands. The results showed higher bispectrum in the beta and gamma frequency bands (13-50 Hz) when more musicians performed together, and when they played a musical phrase synchronously. Positive bispectrum amplitude changes were found approximately three seconds prior to the identified synchronized performance events suggesting preparatory cortical activity predictive of concerted behavioral action. Moreover, a higher amount of synchronized EEG activity, across electrode regions, was observed as more musicians performed, with inter-brain synchronization between the temporal, parietal, and occipital regions the most frequent. Increased synchrony between the musicians' brain activity reflects shared multi-sensory processing and movement intention in a musical improvisation task.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mauricio A. Ramírez-Moreno
- School of Engineering and Sciences, Mechatronics Department, Tecnologico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, 64849, Mexico
- Noninvasive Brain-Machine Interface Systems Laboratory, NSF IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
| | - Jesús G. Cruz-Garza
- Noninvasive Brain-Machine Interface Systems Laboratory, NSF IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
| | - Akanksha Acharya
- Noninvasive Brain-Machine Interface Systems Laboratory, NSF IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
| | - Girija Chatufale
- Noninvasive Brain-Machine Interface Systems Laboratory, NSF IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
- University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095, USA
| | - Woody Witt
- Moores School of Music, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
- Houston Community College, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
| | - Dan Gelok
- Moores School of Music, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
| | | | - José L. Contreras-Vidal
- Noninvasive Brain-Machine Interface Systems Laboratory, NSF IUCRC BRAIN, University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 77004, USA
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Tan SHJ, Wong JN, Teo WP. Is neuroimaging ready for the classroom? A systematic review of hyperscanning studies in learning. Neuroimage 2023; 281:120367. [PMID: 37689175 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Whether education research can be informed by findings from neuroscience studies has been hotly debated since Bruer's (1997) famous claim that neuroscience and education are "a bridge too far". However, this claim came before recent advancements in portable electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technologies, and second-person neuroscience techniques that brought about significant headway in understanding instructor-learner interactions in the classroom. To explore whether neuroscience and education are still two very separate fields, we systematically review 15 hyperscanning studies that were conducted in real-world classrooms or that implemented a teaching-learning task to investigate instructor-learner dynamics. Findings from this investigation illustrate that inter-brain synchrony between instructor and learner is an additional and valuable dimension to understand the complex web of instructor- and learner-related variables that influence learning. Importantly, these findings demonstrate the possibility of conducting real-world classroom studies with portable neuroimaging techniques and highlight the potential of such studies in providing translatable real-world implications. Once thought of as incompatible, a successful coupling between neuroscience and education is now within sight.
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Affiliation(s)
- S H Jessica Tan
- Science of Learning in Education Centre, Office of Education Research, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
| | - Jin Nen Wong
- Science of Learning in Education Centre, Office of Education Research, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
| | - Wei-Peng Teo
- Science of Learning in Education Centre, Office of Education Research, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore; Physical Education and Sport Science Academic Group, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
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Church JA. The Brain's Control Networks in Reading: Insights From Cross-Task Studies of Youth. MIND, BRAIN AND EDUCATION : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL MIND, BRAIN, AND EDUCATION SOCIETY 2023; 17:257-266. [PMID: 38745918 PMCID: PMC11091959 DOI: 10.1111/mbe.12372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Humans engage multiple brain systems to read successfully, including using regions important for vision, language, and control. Control refers to the set of executive processes in the brain that guide moment-to-moment behavior in service of our goals. There is a growing appreciation for the role of the brain's control system in reading comprehension, in reading skill change over time, and in those who have difficulty with the reading process. One way to understand the brain's control engagement in reading may be to study control engagement across multiple tasks in order to study consistencies, or cross-task similarities, relative to reading-specific variations. In this commentary, I briefly summarize some of our recent work studying the brain's control networks across different tasks (e.g., when reading, or doing different executive function tasks). I then review our findings of when control activation does or does not relate to measures of reading ability, and reading growth over time. The utility of cross-task comparisons in neuroimaging is noted, as well as the need to better understand multiple sources of heterogeneity in our developmental samples. I end by discussing a few of the many future directions for further study of the brain with regard to the brain's control processing and academic achievement.
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Goldman E, Bou-Dargham S, Lai M, Guda A, Fallon J, Hauptman M, Reinoso A, Phillips S, Abrams E, Parrish A, Pylkkänen L. MEG correlates of speech planning in simple vs. interactive picture naming in children and adults. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292316. [PMID: 37847686 PMCID: PMC10581494 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The picture naming task is common both as a clinical task and as a method to study the neural bases of speech production in the healthy brain. However, this task is not reflective of most naturally occurring productions, which tend to happen within a context, typically in dialogue in response to someone else's production. How the brain basis of the classic "confrontation picture naming" task compares to the planning of utterances in dialogue is not known. Here we used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to measure neural activity associated with language production using the classic picture naming task as well as a minimal variant of the task, intended as more interactive or dialogue-like. We assessed how neural activity is affected by the interactive context in children, teenagers, and adults. The general pattern was that in adults, the interactive task elicited a robust sustained increase of activity in frontal and temporal cortices bilaterally, as compared to simple picture naming. This increase was present only in the left hemisphere in teenagers and was absent in children, who, in fact, showed the reverse effect. Thus our findings suggest a robustly bilateral neural basis for the coordination of interaction and a very slow developmental timeline for this network.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ebony Goldman
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | | | - Marco Lai
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Anvita Guda
- Department of Linguistics, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Jacqui Fallon
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Miriam Hauptman
- Department of Psychology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Alejandra Reinoso
- Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Sarah Phillips
- Department of Linguistics, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
- Center for Brain Plasticity and Recovery, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, United States of America
| | - Ellie Abrams
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Alicia Parrish
- Department of Linguistics, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Liina Pylkkänen
- Department of Psychology, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
- NYUAD Research Institute, New York University Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
- Department of Linguistics, New York University, New York, NY, United States of America
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Hakim U, De Felice S, Pinti P, Zhang X, Noah JA, Ono Y, Burgess PW, Hamilton A, Hirsch J, Tachtsidis I. Quantification of inter-brain coupling: A review of current methods used in haemodynamic and electrophysiological hyperscanning studies. Neuroimage 2023; 280:120354. [PMID: 37666393 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 08/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hyperscanning is a form of neuroimaging experiment where the brains of two or more participants are imaged simultaneously whilst they interact. Within the domain of social neuroscience, hyperscanning is increasingly used to measure inter-brain coupling (IBC) and explore how brain responses change in tandem during social interaction. In addition to cognitive research, some have suggested that quantification of the interplay between interacting participants can be used as a biomarker for a variety of cognitive mechanisms aswell as to investigate mental health and developmental conditions including schizophrenia, social anxiety and autism. However, many different methods have been used to quantify brain coupling and this can lead to questions about comparability across studies and reduce research reproducibility. Here, we review methods for quantifying IBC, and suggest some ways moving forward. Following the PRISMA guidelines, we reviewed 215 hyperscanning studies, across four different brain imaging modalities: functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), functional magnetic resonance (fMRI), electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG). Overall, the review identified a total of 27 different methods used to compute IBC. The most common hyperscanning modality is fNIRS, used by 119 studies, 89 of which adopted wavelet coherence. Based on the results of this literature survey, we first report summary statistics of the hyperscanning field, followed by a brief overview of each signal that is obtained from each neuroimaging modality used in hyperscanning. We then discuss the rationale, assumptions and suitability of each method to different modalities which can be used to investigate IBC. Finally, we discuss issues surrounding the interpretation of each method.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Hakim
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom.
| | - S De Felice
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom; Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - P Pinti
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Centre for Brain and Cognitive Development, Birkbeck, University of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - X Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - J A Noah
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Y Ono
- Department of Electronics and Bioinformatics, School of Science and Technology, Meiji University, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - P W Burgess
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - A Hamilton
- Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - J Hirsch
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom; Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Departments of Neuroscience and Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States; Yale University, Wu Tsai Institute, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - I Tachtsidis
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, University College London, Malet Place Engineering Building, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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Hayne L, Grant T, Hirshfield L, Carter RM. Friend or foe: classifying collaborative interactions using fNIRS. FRONTIERS IN NEUROERGONOMICS 2023; 4:1265105. [PMID: 38234488 PMCID: PMC10790908 DOI: 10.3389/fnrgo.2023.1265105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
To succeed, effective teams depend on both cooperative and competitive interactions between individual teammates. Depending on the context, cooperation and competition can amplify or neutralize a team's problem solving ability. Therefore, to assess successful collaborative problem solving, it is first crucial to distinguish competitive from cooperative interactions. We investigate the feasibility of using lightweight brain sensors to distinguish cooperative from competitive interactions in pairs of participants (N=84) playing a decision-making game involving uncertain outcomes. We measured brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) from social, motor, and executive areas during game play alone and in competition or cooperation with another participant. To distinguish competitive, cooperative, and alone conditions, we then trained support vector classifiers using combinations of features extracted from fNIRS data. We find that features from social areas of the brain outperform other features for discriminating competitive, cooperative, and alone conditions in cross-validation. Comparing the competitive and alone conditions, social features yield a 5% improvement over motor and executive features. Social features show promise as means of distinguishing competitive and cooperative environments in problem solving settings. Using fNIRS data provides a real-time measure of subjective experience in an ecologically valid environment. These results have the potential to inform intelligent team monitoring to provide better real-time feedback and improve team outcomes in naturalistic settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Hayne
- Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Trevor Grant
- Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - Leanne Hirshfield
- Computer Science, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
| | - R. McKell Carter
- Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO, United States
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Chuang C, Hsu H. Pseudo-mutual gazing enhances interbrain synchrony during remote joint attention tasking. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3181. [PMID: 37496332 PMCID: PMC10570487 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Mutual gaze enables people to share attention and increase engagement during social interactions through intentional and implicit messages. Although previous studies have explored gaze behaviors and neural mechanisms underlying in-person eye contact, the growing prevalence of remote communication has raised questions about how to establish mutual gaze remotely and how the brains of interacting individuals synchronize. METHODS To address these questions, we conducted a study using eye trackers to create a pseudo-mutual gaze channel that mirrors the gazes of each interacting dyad on their respective remote screens. To demonstrate fluctuations in coupling across brains, we incorporated electroencephalographic hyperscanning techniques to simultaneously record the brain activity of interacting dyads engaged in a joint attention task in player-observer, collaborative, and competitive modes. RESULTS Our results indicated that mutual gaze could improve the efficiency of joint attention activities among remote partners. Moreover, by employing the phase locking value, we could estimate interbrain synchrony (IBS) and observe low-frequency couplings in the frontal and temporal regions that varied based on the interaction mode. While dyadic gender composition significantly affected gaze patterns, it did not impact the IBS. CONCLUSION These results provide insight into the neurological mechanisms underlying remote interaction through the pseudo-mutual gaze channel and have significant implications for developing effective online communication environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun‐Hsiang Chuang
- Research Center for Education and Mind Sciences, College of EducationNational Tsing Hua UniversityHsinchuTaiwan
- Institute of Information Systems and ApplicationsCollege of Electrical Engineering and Computer ScienceNational Tsing Hua UniversityHsinchuTaiwan
| | - Hao‐Che Hsu
- Research Center for Education and Mind Sciences, College of EducationNational Tsing Hua UniversityHsinchuTaiwan
- Department of Computer ScienceNational Yang Ming Chiao Tung UniversityHsinchuTaiwan
- Department of Computer Science and EngineeringNational Taiwan Ocean UniversityKeelungTaiwan
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Marzoratti A, Liu ME, Krol KM, Sjobeck GR, Lipscomb DJ, Hofkens TL, Boker SM, Pelphrey KA, Connelly JJ, Evans TM. Epigenetic modification of the oxytocin receptor gene is associated with child-parent neural synchrony during competition. Dev Cogn Neurosci 2023; 63:101302. [PMID: 37734257 PMCID: PMC10518595 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2023.101302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Interpersonal neural synchrony (INS) occurs when neural electrical activity temporally aligns between individuals during social interactions. It has been used as a metric for interpersonal closeness, often during naturalistic child-parent interactions. This study evaluated whether other biological correlates of social processing predicted the prevalence of INS during child-parent interactions, and whether their observed cooperativity modulated this association. Child-parent dyads (n = 27) performed a visuospatial tower-building task in cooperative and competitive conditions. Neural activity was recorded using mobile electroencephalogram (EEG) headsets, and experimenters coded video-recordings post-hoc for behavioral attunement. DNA methylation of the oxytocin receptor gene (OXTRm) was measured, an epigenetic modification associated with reduced oxytocin activity and socioemotional functioning. Greater INS during competition was associated with lower child OXTRm, while greater behavioral attunement during competition and cooperation was associated with higher parent OXTRm. These differential relationships suggest that interpersonal dynamics as measured by INS may be similarly reflected by other biological markers of social functioning, irrespective of observed behavior. Children's self-perceived communication skill also showed opposite associations with parent and child OXTRm, suggesting complex relationships between children's and their parents' social functioning. Our findings have implications for ongoing developmental research, supporting the utility of biological metrics in characterizing interpersonal relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Analia Marzoratti
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Megan E Liu
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kathleen M Krol
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Gus R Sjobeck
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Daniel J Lipscomb
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Tara L Hofkens
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Steven M Boker
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Kevin A Pelphrey
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Jessica J Connelly
- Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Tanya M Evans
- School of Education and Human Development, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA; Department of Neurology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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Deng X, Yang M, Chen X, Zhan Y. The role of mindfulness on theta inter-brain synchrony during cooperation feedback processing: An EEG-based hyperscanning study. Int J Clin Health Psychol 2023; 23:100396. [PMID: 37521502 PMCID: PMC10372402 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2023.100396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Mindfulness appears to improve empathy and understanding in relationships, which are necessary for successful cooperation. However, the impact of mindfulness on cooperation has not been fully studied. This study used hyperscanning technique to examine the effect of mindfulness on the inter-brain synchrony of interacting individuals during the cooperative tasks. Forty-one dyads were randomly assigned to a mindfulness group or a non-mindfulness group. Dyads of the mindfulness group performed a short mindfulness exercise following a 15-minute mindfulness audio guidance. Dyads of the non-mindfulness group were instructed to rest quietly with their eyes closed. Then, simultaneously and continuously EEG was recorded from all dyads when they completed a computer-based cooperative game task. Reaction times (RTs) and success rates were used to indicate the behavioral performance, and phase locking value (PLV) was used to indicate the inter-brain synchrony. The results showed that (1) Greater theta inter-brain synchrony during the cooperative computer game tasks was observed in the mindfulness group than in the non-mindfulness group; (2) Greater theta inter-brain synchrony was observed in the successful cooperation conditions as compared to those in the failure cooperation conditions; (3) Greater theta inter-brain synchrony was observed at the frontal region as compared to those at the parietal-occipital region in the successful cooperation condition. The results expand the neural basis of the effects of mindfulness on cooperation feedback processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinmei Deng
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Center for Mental Health, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Meng Yang
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaomin Chen
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yong Zhan
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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47
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Pan Y, Vinding MC, Zhang L, Lundqvist D, Olsson A. A Brain-To-Brain Mechanism for Social Transmission of Threat Learning. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2304037. [PMID: 37544901 PMCID: PMC10558655 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202304037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Survival and adaptation in environments require swift and efficacious learning about what is dangerous. Across species, much of such threat learning is acquired socially, e.g., through the observation of others' ("demonstrators'") defensive behaviors. However, the specific neural mechanisms responsible for the integration of information shared between demonstrators and observers remain largely unknown. This dearth of knowledge is addressed by performing magnetoencephalography (MEG) neuroimaging in demonstrator-observer dyads. A set of stimuli are first shown to a demonstrator whose defensive responses are filmed and later presented to an observer, while neuronal activity is recorded sequentially from both individuals who never interacted directly. These results show that brain-to-brain coupling (BtBC) in the fronto-limbic circuit (including insula, ventromedial, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) within demonstrator-observer dyads predict subsequent expressions of learning in the observer. Importantly, the predictive power of BtBC magnifies when a threat is imminent to the demonstrator. Furthermore, BtBC depends on how observers perceive their social status relative to the demonstrator, likely driven by shared attention and emotion, as bolstered by dyadic pupillary coupling. Taken together, this study describes a brain-to-brain mechanism for social threat learning, involving BtBC, which reflects social relationships and predicts adaptive, learned behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yafeng Pan
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral SciencesZhejiang UniversityHangzhou310058China
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
| | - Mikkel C. Vinding
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
- Danish Research Centre for Magnetic Resonance, Centre for Functional and Diagnostic Imaging and ResearchCopenhagen University Hospital ‐ Amager and HvidovreCopenhagen2650Denmark
| | - Lei Zhang
- Centre for Human Brain HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
- Institute for Mental HealthSchool of PsychologyUniversity of BirminghamBirminghamB15 2TTUK
- SocialCognitive and Affective Neuroscience UnitDepartment of CognitionEmotionand Methods in PsychologyFaculty of PsychologyUniversity of ViennaVienna1010Austria
| | - Daniel Lundqvist
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
| | - Andreas Olsson
- Department of Clinical NeuroscienceKarolinska InstitutetStockholm17165Sweden
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Michalareas G, Rudwan IM, Lehr C, Gessini P, Tavano A, Grabenhorst M. A scalable and robust system for audience EEG recordings. Heliyon 2023; 9:e20725. [PMID: 37876480 PMCID: PMC10590850 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The neural mechanisms that unfold when humans form a large group defined by an overarching context, such as audiences in theater or sports, are largely unknown and unexplored. This is mainly due to the lack of availability of a scalable system that can record the brain activity from a significantly large portion of such an audience simultaneously. Although the technology for such a system has been readily available for a long time, the high cost as well as the large overhead in human resources and logistic planning have prohibited the development of such a system. However, during the recent years reduction in technology costs and size have led to the emergence of low-cost, consumer-oriented EEG systems, developed primarily for recreational use. Here by combining such a low-cost EEG system with other off-the-shelve hardware and tailor-made software, we develop in the lab and test in a cinema such a scalable EEG hyper-scanning system. The system has a robust and stable performance and achieves accurate unambiguous alignment of the recorded data of the different EEG headsets. These characteristics combined with small preparation time and low-cost make it an ideal candidate for recording large portions of audiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Michalareas
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | | | - Claudia Lehr
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Paolo Gessini
- Department of Aerospace Engineering, University of Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Alessandro Tavano
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Matthias Grabenhorst
- Department of Cognitive Neuropsychology, Max Planck Institute for Empirical Aesthetics, Frankfurt, Germany
- Ernst Strüngmann Institute (ESI) for Neuroscience, Frankfurt, Germany
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Sun R, Cheng ASK, Chan C, Hsiao J, Privitera AJ, Gao J, Fong C, Ding R, Tang AC. Tracking gaze position from EEG: Exploring the possibility of an EEG-based virtual eye-tracker. Brain Behav 2023; 13:e3205. [PMID: 37721530 PMCID: PMC10570499 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.3205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ocular artifact has long been viewed as an impediment to the interpretation of electroencephalogram (EEG) signals in basic and applied research. Today, the use of blind source separation (BSS) methods, including independent component analysis (ICA) and second-order blind identification (SOBI), is considered an essential step in improving the quality of neural signals. Recently, we introduced a method consisting of SOBI and a discriminant and similarity (DANS)-based identification method, capable of identifying and extracting eye movement-related components. These recovered components can be localized within ocular structures with a high goodness of fit (>95%). This raised the possibility that such EEG-derived SOBI components may be used to build predictive models for tracking gaze position. METHODS As proof of this new concept, we designed an EEG-based virtual eye-tracker (EEG-VET) for tracking eye movement from EEG alone. The EEG-VET is composed of a SOBI algorithm for separating EEG signals into different components, a DANS algorithm for automatically identifying ocular components, and a linear model to transfer ocular components into gaze positions. RESULTS The prototype of EEG-VET achieved an accuracy of 0.920° and precision of 1.510° of a visual angle in the best participant, whereas an average accuracy of 1.008° ± 0.357° and a precision of 2.348° ± 0.580° of a visual angle across all participants (N = 18). CONCLUSION This work offers a novel approach that readily co-registers eye movement and neural signals from a single-EEG recording, thus increasing the ease of studying neural mechanisms underlying natural cognition in the context of free eye movement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Sun
- Department of Rehabilitation SciencesThe Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong SARChina
- The Laboratory of Neuroscience for EducationThe University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
| | - Andy S. K. Cheng
- Department of Rehabilitation SciencesThe Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong SARChina
| | - Cynthia Chan
- Department of PsychologyThe University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
| | - Janet Hsiao
- Department of PsychologyThe University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
| | - Adam J. Privitera
- Centre for Research and Development in LearningNanyang Technological UniversitySingapore
| | - Junling Gao
- Centre of Buddhism StudiesThe University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
| | - Ching‐hang Fong
- Department of Rehabilitation SciencesThe Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong Kong SARChina
| | - Ruoxi Ding
- China Center for Health Development StudiesPeking UniversityBeijingChina
| | - Akaysha C. Tang
- The Laboratory of Neuroscience for EducationThe University of Hong KongHong Kong SARChina
- Neural DialogueShenzhenChina
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Zadina JN. The Synergy Zone: Connecting the Mind, Brain, and Heart for the Ideal Classroom Learning Environment. Brain Sci 2023; 13:1314. [PMID: 37759915 PMCID: PMC10526388 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci13091314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
This paper proposes a new perspective on implementing neuroeducation in the classroom. The pandemic exacerbated the mental health issues of faculty and students, creating a mental health crisis that impairs learning. It is important to get our students back in "the zone", both cognitively and emotionally, by creating an ideal learning environment for capturing our students and keeping them-the Synergy Zone. Research that examines the classroom environment often focuses on the foreground-instructors' organizational and instructional aspects and content. However, the emotional climate of the classroom affects student well-being. This emotional climate would ideally exhibit the brain states of engagement, attention, connection, and enjoyment by addressing the mind, brain, and heart. This ideal learning environment would be achieved by combining proposed practices derived from three areas of research: flow theory, brain synchronization, and positive emotion with heart engagement. Each of these enhances the desired brain states in a way that the whole is greater than the sum of the individual parts. I call this the Synergy Zone. A limitation of this proposed model is that implementation of some aspects may be challenging, and professional development resources might be needed. This essay presenting this perspective provides the relevant scientific research and the educational implications of implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janet N Zadina
- Brain Research and Instruction, New Orleans, LA 70002, USA
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