Affective Synchrony and Autonomic Coupling during Cooperation: A Hyperscanning Study

Area of Science:

• Social Neuroscience
• Psychophysiology
• Human Interaction Studies

Background:

• Social interactions influence emotional states via resonance and synchronized autonomic patterns.
• Joint actions can foster shared emotional experiences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To experimentally induce a social bond through cooperation.
• To investigate autonomic nervous system synchrony during cooperative tasks.
• To explore emotional coupling in real-time interactive paradigms.

Main Methods:

• Utilized hyperscanning techniques to monitor participants in dyads.
• Measured electrodermal activity (skin conductance level and response) and cardiovascular indices (heart rate).
• Employed an attentional couple game with cooperative feedback to reinforce intersubjective exchange.

Main Results:

• Intrasubject analysis showed elevated heart rate during the initial phase, linked to cognitive load and social dynamics.
• Intersubject analysis revealed increased synchrony in electrodermal activity following cooperative feedback.
• Demonstrated physiological synchrony as a marker of emotional coupling.

Conclusions:

• Cooperative tasks can experimentally induce social bonds and enhance emotional coupling.
• Physiological synchrony, particularly in electrodermal activity, reflects shared emotional experiences.
• Hyperscanning is a valuable tool for studying real-time emotional dynamics in social interactions.