Real-time interpersonal conflict and neural synchronization: An fNIRS hyperscanning study using an interactive Greedy...

Area of Science:

• Social Neuroscience
• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Interpersonal conflict is common, but its neural basis is not well understood.
• Existing cognitive-neuroscientific frameworks lack detailed explanations for conflict mechanisms.
• The disagreement-interference-negative affect triad provides a theoretical basis for studying conflict.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying interpersonal conflict.
• To examine brain activity and inter-brain synchrony during conflict scenarios.
• To establish a robust methodological and theoretical framework for social neuroscience research on conflict.

Main Methods:

• Re-engineered the Greedy Snake game into Conflict and Non-Conflict paradigms.
• Utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning (fNIRS-hyperscanning) to record hemodynamic responses.
• Analyzed data from 44 university student dyads (N=88) during task execution.

Main Results:

• The Conflict paradigm increased perceptions of goal incongruence and interference, and led to antagonistic behavior.
• Conflict elicited stronger oxygenated hemoglobin (HbO) responses in the left inferior frontal gyrus (lIFG), dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), and right temporoparietal junction (rTPJ).
• Higher inter-brain synchrony (IBS) was observed in these regions during conflict compared to non-conflict conditions.

Conclusions:

• Interpersonal conflict requires coordinated cognitive processes, including action observation, cognitive control, and social inference.
• Novel evidence for multi-brain coordination mechanisms during interpersonal conflict was found.
• The study offers a validated framework for future research in social neuroscience.