Intersubject Synchronization Among the Audience During a Theatre Rehearsal. A Pilot EEG Hyperscanning Study

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Abstract

We present the results of inter-brain synchronization analysis among the audience during a fairy-tale theater performance. The study examines synchronization between participants without external stimulus synchronization (i.e., without evoked potentials). The EEG (electroencephalography) data was synchronized via specialized technical signals that didn’t attract the attention of the participants and were used solely to ensure precise temporal alignment of EEG fragments across different stages of the performance. The obtained data were analyzed both individually and in pairs. Individual analysis assessed EEG spectral power during rest and before, during, and after the performance in Δ (1.5–4 Hz), θ (4–8 Hz), α1 (8–10 Hz), α2 (10–13 Hz), β1 (13–18 Hz), and β2 (18–30 Hz)-frequency bands. Pairwise analysis (21 pairs, where all participants were paired with each other) evaluated phase locking value (PLV) and circular correlation coefficient (CCorr). No differences in baseline spectral power (pre-vs. post-performance) were detected, suggesting an absence of viewers’ fatigue. However, a decrease of the EEG spectral power was observed in the α1- and α2-frequency bands, potentially connected with viewer engagement, selective attention, and emotional immersion in the narrative. Inter-brain synchronization metrics (both PLV and CCorr) revealed increased synchronization in θ-, α1- and α2-bands over centro-parieto-occipital regions, coupled with reduced frontal region synchronization (relative to artificially generated data) pronounced during the second stage of the performance. This likely corresponds to the narrative’s culmination.

About the authors

E. M Zavodova

Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: catherine.zavodova@itmo.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0000-0329-4487
Junior Researcher St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

Zh. V Nagornova

Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: nagornova_zh@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-6476-3141
PhD in Biology, Senior Researcher St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

N. A Zyryanov

Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: zenikich2000@gmail.com
Senior Research Assistant St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

N. V Shemyakina

Sechenov Institute of Evolutionary Physiology and Biochemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences

Email: shemyakina_n@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8936-0082
PhD in Biology, Leading Researcher St. Petersburg, Russian Federation

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