Collective neuroscience is a relatively young field of research, but it is growing by leaps and bounds. It arises from the approach made by neuroscientists about investigating not only the brain activity of one individual, but that of several at the same time. And this has led to the discovery that people synchronize their brain waves when engaging in some joint interaction, for example, having a conversation. According to an article published in Scientific American magazine, neurons that are in equivalent places are activated at the same time in one person and in another. This gives rise to patterns that are a pillar of the study of this branch of neuroscience.
Through these investigations, scientists are finding a new level of complexity in the process of sociability. And one of the interesting aspects of this has to do with the connection between individuals and the advantages it represents in terms of understanding and empathy. But also those cases in which this is not possible and the opposite ends up happening, a clear misunderstanding.
Neuroscientists have been able to discover that when a teacher explains a lesson to his students, their brain processing will align with that of their teacher. Which translates into favoring learning. Another example of this has to do with the response of neuronal waves when listening to a musical performance, since they will cause certain regions of the audience’s brain to coincide with those of the musician. And that synchronicity makes the experience more enjoyable. The article specifies that these connections have also been identified in couples with a romantic bond or between close friends. In both cases, brain synchrony is greater.
However, this raises a clear question: how is it possible? In what way does this connection happen? So far, researchers do not have an answer to this phenomenon. However, in order to understand it, mappings are being developed of the “choreography” that brain waves undertake in all these situations.
Among the results that are being obtained, it has been discovered that this synchronization serves to, in a way, prepare people when undertaking this interaction, making it somewhat easier. Although it doesn’t always work. And this is precisely another of the aspects that could answer why there are those cases in which one feels a connection, chemistry or “good vibes” with a person. As well as when the opposite happens, that is, those moments in which one feels not connecting with another.
