Social Interaction and the Synchrony of Brain Waves

Humans are social beings and it turns out that when people talk or share an experience, their brain waves synchronize. The resonance between “like minds” is becoming a fascinating field of research. That is not to say that we are all part of the “matrix” or “borg” that cannot have independence of thought, but rather we operate like dancers moving together in matching patterns. The result of building this kind of resonance is likely the “magic” we feel when participating in a think tank, collective brainstorming, or collaborating to create a novel approach to a situation. The more we understand this phenomenon, the more likely we are to learn ways to enhance collaborative efforts.

The reality is that we rarely operate our minds in isolation.

Researchers are beginning to study more than one brain at a time to provide a more realistic picture of human brains “in vivo.” Termed collective neuroscience, scientists are using technology like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalogram (EEG) technology that allows scientists to observe brain activity and brain wave oscillations indirectly while humans interact.

  
“The experience of “being on the same wavelength” as another person is real, and it is visible in the activity of the brain… An early, consistent finding is that when people converse or share an experience, their brain waves synchronize.”  Lydia Denworth, Scientific American July 2023

The beautiful aspect of this is the discovery of new levels of complexity and depth in social interaction.  This alignment creates enhanced levels of performance in many arenas from corporate and athletic teams to resonance between musical performers and their audience.

It goes beyond simply having the same experience with each other.

This is called “Interbrain Synchrony,” which is a phenomenon where neurons in different brains fire simultaneously in response to interaction with how others think, feel, and act.  The longer the interaction continues the more aligned the timing and location of brain activity occur.  

Credit: Now Medical Studios via Scientific American July 2023

“When we're talking to each other, we kind of create a single überbrain that isn't reducible to the sum of its parts. Like oxygen and hydrogen combine to make water, it creates something special that isn't reducible to oxygen and hydrogen independently.”  Thalia Wheatley, neuroscientist at Darmouth University.

Synchrony is essentially what we feel when we “click” with someone.

Any athlete or musician that has worked within a group where synchronizing is vital has experience with this.  That intangible connection that occurs between close friends, family, romantic partners, and organizations with effective leaders. Any coach or conductor will tell you it is crucial that members of a group trying to achieve harmony must communicate, often nonverbally, for the symphony to occur.  It takes practice together and can further explain the importance of connecting with each other to perfect.   There is evidence that interbrain synchrony may have prompted the development of social interaction as a beneficial quality, which we know and experience intuitively.  

When recognized it is a transferable skill that can benefit synchronous groups, it may become a skill that can be brought into organizations and cooperative groups to enhance outcomes.  The most powerful effect in humans may be when two like-minded individuals are asked to co-create a narrative with a prompt. 

This resonance of thought and its benefits ” highlights the importance of social interaction in the mental stability and physical health of each other” in society.  Conversely, it explains why the social isolation that occurred during the pandemic was so damaging, especially in highly socially focused groups, such as adolescents.

Humans need each other. Our brain health is enhanced by interaction.  

Our communication with each other goes far beyond the surface of our conversations.  We teach and learn from each other, forge alliances, learn to cooperate and “get on the same page”, and support each other in ways that are beneficial.

Our resonance is the physics of brain waves finding harmony and may be a sign of shared minds that operate to enhance the chemical and electrical signaling in the brain.  This is crucial in comprehension, communication, and learning.  

For the increasing numbers of entrepreneurs and freelancers breaking away from the corporate world, this is an important thing to consider.  While being a lone wolf has the allure of freedom from bureaucracy, isolating oneself from resonant minds can be detrimental.  Finding like-minded communities to resonate with and learn from is vital.  

Science is revealing more every day how connection outside of ourselves is a key component to wellness and success.  While it will take much more investigation to understand and clarify this phenomenon in scientific terms, humans have benefited from and enjoyed the resonance found in social interaction throughout human existence.

Think back to a time when you found harmony and resonance as a member of a team, your family, or in a performance.  You likely felt an energy that superseded the simple coordination of roles, rather an invisible but tangible connection to each other.  Interaction is a crucial component of a healthy brain lifestyle. 

Incorporating interaction into your schedule is ultimately an investment in your mental and physical wellness. 

You are worth the investment.

Source  For more detail, read the full article by Lydia Denworth in the July 2023 issue of Scientific American.