Synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communication
Abstract Online meetings have become increasingly prevalent, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Although they offer convenience and effectiveness in various contexts, there is a pertinent question about whether they truly replicate the richness of in-person communication. This...
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84602-x |
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| author | Ren Sato Hiroki Sato |
| author_facet | Ren Sato Hiroki Sato |
| author_sort | Ren Sato |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Online meetings have become increasingly prevalent, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Although they offer convenience and effectiveness in various contexts, there is a pertinent question about whether they truly replicate the richness of in-person communication. This study delves into the distinctions between online and face-to-face interactions, with a particular focus on the synchronization of brain activity. Previous research has indicated a connection between synchronization and the quality of communication. Therefore, our hypothesis posits that face-to-face interactions lead to greater brain synchronization compared to online interactions, which often lack certain social cues. To investigate this, we conducted a study using functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning during an eye-contact task involving 28 male participants organized into 14 pairs. We assessed brain signal synchronization using wavelet coherence analysis. After comparing face-to-face and online conditions, our findings revealed significantly higher synchronization in face-to-face scenarios, particularly within the right temporoparietal region. These results align with the outcomes of other hyperscanning studies and suggest that face-to-face communication elicits a higher level of brain synchronization compared with online communication. In the future, this approach holds promise for evaluating the effectiveness of online meeting tools in achieving a more authentic virtual communication experience. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7bd53f7c59eb486ead501bcade013709 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-7bd53f7c59eb486ead501bcade0137092025-01-05T12:15:35ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-01-0115111110.1038/s41598-024-84602-xSynchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communicationRen Sato0Hiroki Sato1Graduate School of Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of TechnologyGraduate School of Engineering and Science, Shibaura Institute of TechnologyAbstract Online meetings have become increasingly prevalent, especially during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Although they offer convenience and effectiveness in various contexts, there is a pertinent question about whether they truly replicate the richness of in-person communication. This study delves into the distinctions between online and face-to-face interactions, with a particular focus on the synchronization of brain activity. Previous research has indicated a connection between synchronization and the quality of communication. Therefore, our hypothesis posits that face-to-face interactions lead to greater brain synchronization compared to online interactions, which often lack certain social cues. To investigate this, we conducted a study using functional near-infrared spectroscopy hyperscanning during an eye-contact task involving 28 male participants organized into 14 pairs. We assessed brain signal synchronization using wavelet coherence analysis. After comparing face-to-face and online conditions, our findings revealed significantly higher synchronization in face-to-face scenarios, particularly within the right temporoparietal region. These results align with the outcomes of other hyperscanning studies and suggest that face-to-face communication elicits a higher level of brain synchronization compared with online communication. In the future, this approach holds promise for evaluating the effectiveness of online meeting tools in achieving a more authentic virtual communication experience.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84602-xHyperscanningEye contactFunctional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS)Wavelet coherenceOnline meetingSocial interaction |
| spellingShingle | Ren Sato Hiroki Sato Synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communication Scientific Reports Hyperscanning Eye contact Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) Wavelet coherence Online meeting Social interaction |
| title | Synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communication |
| title_full | Synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communication |
| title_fullStr | Synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communication |
| title_short | Synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact: comparison of face-to-face and online communication |
| title_sort | synchronization of brain activity associated with eye contact comparison of face to face and online communication |
| topic | Hyperscanning Eye contact Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) Wavelet coherence Online meeting Social interaction |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-84602-x |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT rensato synchronizationofbrainactivityassociatedwitheyecontactcomparisonoffacetofaceandonlinecommunication AT hirokisato synchronizationofbrainactivityassociatedwitheyecontactcomparisonoffacetofaceandonlinecommunication |