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Mobile fNIRS for exploring inter-brain synchrony across generations and time - PubMed

  • ️Mon Jan 01 2024

Mobile fNIRS for exploring inter-brain synchrony across generations and time

Ryssa Moffat et al. Front Neuroergon. 2024.

Abstract

While still relatively rare, longitudinal hyperscanning studies are exceptionally valuable for documenting changes in inter-brain synchrony, which may in turn underpin how behaviors develop and evolve in social settings. The generalizability and ecological validity of this experimental approach hinges on the selected imaging technique being mobile-a requirement met by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). fNIRS has most frequently been used to examine the development of inter-brain synchrony and behavior in child-parent dyads. In this position paper, we contend that dedicating attention to longitudinal and intergenerational hyperscanning stands to benefit the fields of social and cognitive neuroscience more broadly. We argue that this approach is particularly relevant for understanding the neural mechanisms underpinning intergenerational social dynamics, and potentially for benchmarking progress in psychological and social interventions, many of which are situated in intergenerational contexts. In line with our position, we highlight areas of intergenerational research that stand to be enhanced by longitudinal hyperscanning with mobile devices, describe challenges that may arise from measuring across generations in the real world, and offer potential solutions.

Keywords: fNIRS; hyperscanning; inter-brain synchrony; intergenerational; interpersonal neural synchrony; longitudinal.

Copyright © 2024 Moffat, Casale and Cross.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Grants and funding

The authors declare financial support was received from the Professorship for Social Brain Sciences for the research, authorship, and publication of this article. Open access funding by ETH Zurich.