Neural synchronization as a function of engagement with the narrative

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Psychology

Background:

• Narrative engagement is crucial for storytelling.
• Individual differences in how people engage with stories are significant.
• Previous research has explored brain responses to narratives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if listener engagement synchronizes brain responses to a narrative.
• To examine individual differences in engagement and their neural correlates.
• To understand how engagement with characters affects brain activity.

Main Methods:

• Re-analysis of functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) data from 25 participants.
• Participants listened to a one-hour story and completed engagement questionnaires.
• Correlation analysis between engagement levels and neural synchronization patterns.

Main Results:

• Individual differences in story and character engagement were observed.
• Neural synchronization increased with higher story engagement in the default mode network (DMN) and reward system.
• Engaging characters (positive or negative) elicited distinct neural synchronization patterns.
• Engagement enhanced functional connectivity across attention and control networks.

Conclusions:

• Narrative engagement synchronizes brain activity in regions supporting mentalizing, reward, working memory, and attention.
• Neural synchronization patterns are driven by individual engagement, not just narrative content.
• Understanding engagement provides insights into the neural basis of narrative processing.