Are you thinking what I'm thinking?
Researchers at the University of Helsinki have published a study that examines the brainwave synchronisation of people playing a simple driving game in pairs. The headline claim, of course, is that the results suggest peoples' brainwaves synchronise while playing a co-operative racing game.
Participants were physically separated in soundproof rooms, and played a game"Inspired by an episode of the British television series Top Gear , in which participants were tasked to drive double-deckered cars, with the person on top turning the steering wheel and the person on bottom operating the pedals.
The study notes that"Collaboration in the task was associated with higher synchrony in the alpha, beta, and gamma bands, when comparing the synchrony between real pairs and performance-matched false pairs." This admittedly limited data set shows a connection between performance in the game and gamma synchronization in particular, where the gamma waves associated with high cognitive function are synchronizing between participants.
"If we can build interactive digital experiences which activate fundamental mechanisms of empathy, it can lead to better social relationships, well-being, and productivity online," says project manager Katri Saarikivi. I admire the optimism!