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We often hear the saying, “True friends can communicate without words.” It may sound like a cliché, but neuroscience suggests there’s real truth behind it. Studies show that when close friends, romantic partners, or even students and teachers spend time together, their brain waves begin to sync. This phenomenon, known as neural synchrony, reveals how deeply our brains attune to those around us, shaping relationships, communication, and even mental well-being. In this article, we’ll explore the neuroscience behind neural synchrony, how it happens, and what it means for human connection.
Neuroscientific Studies on Synchrony
Using EEG (electroencephalography) and fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), researchers have provided compelling evidence of neural synchrony in real-world interactions. One EEG study revealed that during teaching sessions, the brain activity of teachers and students become synchronised. This neural coupling is linked to better engagement and learning outcomes, possibly explaining why some educators seem to effortlessly connect with students. Similarly, an fMRI study of 35 married couples found that higher neural synchrony correlated with greater marital satisfaction, suggesting that shared brain activity plays a role in relationship quality.
Mechanisms Behind Neural Synchrony
Two key mechanisms may explain how neural synchrony occurs:
Mirror Neurons:
Mirror neurons fire both when an individual performs an action and when they observe someone else doing the same. This mirroring mechanism helps individuals understand others’ actions and emotions, fostering connection and alignment in brain activity.
Predictive Coding:
Predictive coding is a framework where the brain continuously generates and refines predictions about incoming sensory information. In social contexts, this means anticipating others' actions and reactions, leading to synchronised neural activity as individuals align their expectations and responses—reinforcing social bonds.
This image above is a simplified diagram illustrating the predictive coding model of the brain.
Predictions (Green Arrows):
The brain generates predictions about sensory input based on prior experiences and expectations.
These predictions are sent from higher-level processing areas to lower-level sensory areas.
Sensory Input (Black Arrow):
Real-world stimuli enter through the senses, and are processed in lower-level regions.
The brain then compares this new information against its existing predictions.
Prediction Errors (Blue Arrows):
If the actual sensory input matches the prediction, no further action is needed.
If there's a mismatch, a prediction error signal is sent upward to higher cognitive areas to update the model.
This process ensures the brain refines its expectations over time, improving accuracy in perception and decision-making.
Factors that Promote Neural Synchrony
We’ve delved into the neurological facets of neural synchrony—but there are several factors that contribute to the strengthening of this phenomenon:
Proximity & Time Spent Together: Frequent interaction enhances synchrony.
Shared Experiences & Emotions: Engaging in the same activities, such as watching a movie or problem-solving, strengthens neural alignment.
Nonverbal Cues & Imitation: Subtle mirroring of expressions, gestures, and speech patterns deepens neural synchrony.
The Real-World Implications—Why Does it Matter?
Neural synchrony plays a crucial role in social and emotional interactions. It:
✔ Enhances communication by reducing the need for explicit explanations.
✔ Strengthens relationships by fostering empathy and trust.
✔ Improves teamwork by making collaboration more seamless.
From an evolutionary perspective, synchrony may have developed to promote social bonding, cooperation, and survival (Launay et al., 2016). However, too much synchrony can have downsides, such as groupthink, where individuals conform to collective opinions at the expense of independent thought—making our actions and thoughts take a monolithic, homogenised turn.
More research is needed to understand the concept of neural synchrony and many questions remain unanswered: Can neural synchrony be deliberately trained or enhanced? Could VR, AI, or brain-computer interfaces harness this phenomenon to improve human connection? As research advances, we may uncover more about how our brains naturally tune in to those around us, shaping our relationships in ways we’re only beginning to understand.
Reference list
Claire Neeson (2017). Mirror Neurons | AQA A Level Psychology Revision Notes 2017. [online] Save My Exams. Available at: https://www.savemyexams.com/a-level/psychology/aqa/17/revision-notes/11-cognition-and-development-a-level-only/11-4-social-cognition/11-4-3-mirror-neurons/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2025].
Launay, J., Tarr, B. and Dunbar, R.I.M. (2016). Synchrony as an Adaptive Mechanism for Large-Scale Human Social Bonding. Ethology, 122(10), pp.779–789. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/eth.12528.
Li, L., Huang, X., Xiao, J., Zheng, Q., Shan, X., He, C., Liao, W., Chen, H., Menon, V. and Duan, X. (2022). Neural synchronization predicts marital satisfaction. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, [online] 119(34), p.e2202515119. doi:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2202515119.
Nguyen, M., Chang, A., Micciche, E., Meshulam, M., Nastase, S.A. and Hasson, U. (2021). Teacher–student neural coupling during teaching and learning. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/scan/nsab103.
Orviss, E. (2024). The Importance of Spending Time with Family - The Good Play Guide. [online] The Good Play Guide. Available at: https://www.goodplayguide.com/blog/spending-time-with-family/ [Accessed 28 Jan. 2025].
Stefanics, Gã., KremláÄek, J. and Czigler, I. (2014). Visual mismatch negativity: a predictive coding view. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 8. doi:https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2014.00666.
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