Interpersonal heart rate synchrony and prosocial behaviors in musical contexts

The interpersonal synchronization of physiological signals has been a major target of cognitive science studies, mainly because it is associated with pro-social behaviors. In this context, naturalistic stimuli are often used to evaluate this effect, using neuroimaging techniques. However, it is also possible to observe synchronizing effects at the cardiac level, which may also reflect cognitive processing. The main goal of this mini-review is to achieve a better understanding of interpersonal heart rate synchronization and pro-social behaviors in musical contexts. We conclude that music has the ability to strengthen the sense of connection and collaboration between people, being a facilitator of interpersonal synchronization at various physiological levels, especially in heart rate.