Brain Mapping of Behavior Contagion Based on Visibility Graph Analysis of ERP Signals

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Social Psychology
• Complexity Science

Background:

• Behavior contagion involves aligning individual decisions with group behavior.
• Understanding the neural underpinnings of behavior contagion requires analyzing brain activity dynamics.
• Visibility graphs (VG) offer a novel approach to analyze complex fluctuations in brain signals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the spatiotemporal organization of brain activity during behavior contagion.
• To compare the network properties of event-related potentials (ERPs) before and after social influence using VG.
• To differentiate brain activity patterns between individuals exhibiting high and low contagion rates.

Main Methods:

• Electroencephalography (EEG) was recorded during a psycho-economic dictator game task.
• Participants' behavior contagion rates were assessed after observing others' preferences.
• Visibility graphs were constructed from ERPs to analyze network features (clustering coefficient, modularity, efficiency) in different brain regions.

Main Results:

• Visibility graph features showed differential changes across EEG channels post-contagion.
• Increased clustering, modularity, and efficiency in specific brain regions suggest altered ERP component dynamics.
• Significant changes were observed in frontal, frontocentral, centroparietal, and parietal regions.

Conclusions:

• Behavior contagion induces measurable changes in the network structure of brain activity.
• These findings highlight the dynamic nature of ERPs and may necessitate adjustments in analytical approaches.
• The study provides insights into the neural basis of social decision-making and conformity.