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Conducting Hyperscanning Experiments with Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Published on: January 19, 2019
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Interpersonal Competition in Elderly Couples: A Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Hyperscanning Study
Qian Zhang1, Zhennan Liu1, Haoyue Qian2,3
1Department of Psychology, Education College, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China.
Brain Sciences
|May 16, 2023
Summary
Elderly couples maintain interpersonal competition, unlike controls. This competition is linked to synchronized brain activity in their mentalizing system, suggesting long-term relationships positively impact social interactions.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Social Psychology
- Gerontology
Background:
- Elderly individuals typically show reduced interpersonal competition.
- The neural mechanisms underlying competition in older adults, especially couples, remain unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the behavioral and neural dynamics of interpersonal competition in elderly couples.
- To compare competition patterns between elderly couples and matched controls.
Main Methods:
- Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning was used to record brain activity in pairs during a competitive task.
- Behavioral data on button-pressing performance was collected.
- Granger causality analysis and machine learning were applied to inter-brain synchronization (IBS) data.
Main Results:
- Elderly couples maintained competition, while controls showed attenuated competition.
- Couples exhibited increased inter-brain synchronization (IBS) in the middle temporal cortex and temporoparietal junction.
- Directional causality between partners' brain activity differed in the first half of the task but not the second.
- Machine learning successfully discriminated between couples and controls based on IBS patterns.
Conclusions:
- Elderly couples can sustain interpersonal competition, potentially due to the influence of long-term spousal relationships.
- Increased IBS within the mentalizing system may underpin this sustained competition.
- Long-term spousal relationships may positively modulate neural and behavioral aspects of competition in older age.
