Trait mindful awareness predicts inter-brain coupling but not individual brain responses during naturalistic face-to-face interactions.
Phoebe Chen, Ulrich Kirk, Suzanne Dikker
Frontiers in Psychology 2022 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.915345 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study using portable EEG during naturalistic dyadic interaction Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 379 |
| Population | Adults engaging in naturalistic face-to-face dyadic interactions in a museum setting (379 individuals; 62 dyads) |
| Measures | Muse headset EEG (theta ~5-8 Hz, beta ~26-27 Hz), self-reported mindful awareness |
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Empathy Interbrain synchrony Interpersonal relations Naturalistic interaction Social neuroscience |
| Key findings | Self-reported trait mindful awareness did not replicate prior laboratory associations with individual brain responses (N=379 individuals), but it did predict inter-brain synchrony within dyads in theta (~5-8 Hz) and beta (~26-27 Hz) frequencies (N=62 dyads). The authors argue that social neuroscience should be conducted in ecological settings and raise practical concerns about commercially available EEG systems. |
Abstract
In recent years, the possible benefits of mindfulness meditation have sparked much public and academic interest. Mindfulness emphasizes cultivating awareness of our immediate experience and has been associated with compassion, empathy, and various other prosocial traits. However, neurobiological evidence pertaining to the prosocial benefits of mindfulness in social settings is sparse. In this study, we investigate neural correlates of trait mindful awareness during naturalistic dyadic interactions, using both intra-brain and inter-brain measures. We used the Muse headset, a portable electroencephalogram (EEG) device often used to support mindfulness meditation, to record brain activity from dyads as they engaged in naturalistic face-to-face interactions in a museum setting. While we did not replicate prior laboratory-based findings linking trait mindfulness to individual brain responses (N = 379 individuals), self-reported mindful awareness did predict dyadic inter-brain synchrony, in theta (~5-8 Hz) and beta frequencies (~26-27 Hz; N = 62 dyads). These findings underscore the importance of conducting social neuroscience research in ecological settings to enrich our understanding of how (multi-brain) neural correlates of social traits such as mindful awareness manifest during social interaction, while raising critical practical considerations regarding the viability of commercially available EEG systems.