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Neuropsychologia

Volume 174, 9 September 2022, 108316
Neuropsychologia

Inter-brain synchronization occurs without physical co-presence
during cooperative online gaming

Author links open overlay panelValtteriWikstrom^a^bKatriSaarikivi^a^b
MariFalcon^a^bTommiMakkonen^aSiljaMartikainen^a^bVesaPutkinen^c^d
Benjamin UltanCowley^b^eMariTervaniemi^a^b
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2022.108316Get rights and
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Highlights

*

    We investigated cooperative performance during real-time online
    two-player gameplay using EEG hyperscanning.

*

    The participants were physically isolated and could only
    communicate through on-screen actions controlled by button
    presses.

*

    Momentary performance was linked to gamma synchronization and
    average performance was linked to alpha synchronization.

*

    Synchronization across frequency bands decreased during a playing
    session, while being elevated in the second of two sessions.

*

    The novel paradigm demonstrates continuous measurement of
    collaborative performance and inter-brain synchrony.

Abstract

Inter-brain synchronization during social interaction has been linked
with several positive phenomena, including closeness, cooperation,
prosociality, and team performance. However, the temporal dynamics of
inter-brain synchronization during collaboration are not yet fully
understood. Furthermore, with collaboration increasingly happening
online, the dependence of inter-brain phase synchronization of
oscillatory activity on physical presence is an important but
understudied question. In this study, physically isolated
participants performed a collaborative coordination task in the form
of a cooperative multiplayer game. We measured EEG from 42 subjects
working together as pairs in the task. During the measurement, the
only interaction between the participants happened through on-screen
movement of a racing car, controlled by button presses of both
participants working with distinct roles, either controlling the
speed or the direction of the car. Pairs working together in the task
were found to have elevated neural coupling in the alpha, beta, and
gamma frequency bands, compared to performance matched false pairs.
Higher gamma synchrony was associated with better momentary
performance within dyads and higher alpha synchrony was associated
with better mean performance across dyads. These results are in line
with previous findings of increased inter-brain synchrony during
interaction, and show that phase synchronization of oscillatory
activity occurs during online real-time joint coordination without
any physical co-presence or video and audio connection. Synchrony
decreased during a playing session, but was found to be higher during
the second session compared to the first. The novel paradigm,
developed for the measurement of real-time collaborative performance,
demonstrates that changes in inter-brain EEG phase synchrony can be
observed continuously during interaction.

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Keywords

Hyperscanning
Inter-brain
Synchrony
Synchronization
EEG
Cooperation
Collaboration
Performance
Multiplayer
Online
Video game
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(c) 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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