Connection is a 'biological imperative'.
Being a mammal means that we are extremely 'nurture-dependent'.
We cannot survive without connection to another. On the one hand, each human must become self regulating to a certain degree. Self-regulation is what we do on our own to regulate our nervous system.Co-regulation is another essential aspect of our survival as mammals. Co-regulation is the mechanism we use to regulate our nervous system by connecting with other living beings. We can co-regulate with other mammals and with people.
As wonderful as pets and animals are, however, an essential type of co-regulating in terms of our brain functioning is with other humans.
Why? Because the health of our neural circuitry depends on complex feedback loops.
The more complex and less repetitive the stimulus we get, the stronger our brains become because we need to fire up very flexible and sophisticated networks to respond.
All of this means that if we really want to have our brains function at their highest level, we need to connect with other humans.
Bittersweet, right? Sometimes we don't want to deal with other humans - which is where self-regulation comes in… BUT we can't stay alone. We need to balance our alone time with relationships - for the sake of our brain and nervous system!
There are various ways we can co-regulate.
One way is to use the physical (and online) presence of others to regulate our state. We can also call this 'bottom-up' or ‘conditional’ regulation.
This can include conversations,
- doing activities together,
- moving together (dancing, sports),
- eating together.
The cool part about spending time with another person is that when we engage in 'joint attention' or 'joint movement' we actually increase the chances of forming brainwave coherence with that person.
Human brainwaves can synchronize for better problem-solving and co-regulation
This means that our brainwaves can synchronize its patterns with another person's, and this can make us actually feel like we are 'on the same wavelength' as them.
Teams and partners who have brainwave coherence can solve problems more efficiently and effectively.
Have you ever felt like you were on the same 'wavelength' as someone?
In this episode, we take a look at how synchronized brainwaves help us move into higher levels of collective intelligence.
I met Caroline Szymanski several years when we co-facilitated a workshop on the Neurobiology of Innovation at the Design Thinking Festival - hosted by the Hasso Platner Institute for Design Thinking. She is a social neuroscientist, consultant, coach at the HPI School of Design Thinking and former researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.
Caroline’s work explores how our brains function not just in isolation but in dynamic, social settings. Her research focuses on concepts such as co-creation and innovation, and how our brains align in terms of wave frequencies when we engage with others. Her insights challenge traditional views of neuroscience that often consider the brain in isolation, rather than as part of an interactive social organism. Her social brain research helps us better understand how brains function within social interactions and offers insights into optimizing teamwork and collective intelligence.
Below are 5 key insights from her research on neural synchrony and collective intelligence:
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Brains on the same wavelength = better teams
By measuring brain activity in real-time during interactions, Caroline's studies reveal that synchronized brain patterns often correlate with more efficient teamwork. Her experiments show that teams with higher levels of brain synchronization tend to perform better, indicating a strong link between neural alignment and effective collaboration.
We can't force brains to synchronize
One of the core elements of Szymanski's research is the exploration of whether synchronized brain activity is part of an innate ability or if it can be induced through external stimuli. Her experiments reveal that trying to artificially synchronize brain waves can actually hinder the natural synchronization process. This finding highlights that the ability to sync up is unique to each pair of individuals, influenced by their dynamic interaction and can't be externally imposed.
Embodiment
Brain synchronization and collect intelligence are influenced by movement and action. Szymanski's research highlights the idea that physical actions are embedded and integral to social cognition, and suggests that incorporating more movement-based activities can help enhance team dynamics.
Joint attention
Joint attention refers to the shared focus of two people on a third entity. In social neuroscience, joint attention is believed to be the foundational pillar of language and complex social behaviors. Szymanski's studies demonstrate that this joint attention can lead to increased brain synchronization, even in the absence of physical movement. This insight has profound implications for understanding how shared goals and visions can enhance teamwork and innovation in organizations.
Misconceptions about diversity in teamwork
While diversity is often seen as a key driver of innovation, some research shows that the effectiveness of diverse teams depends on the dynamics within the team, not just diversity in and of itself. As the research suggests, simply bringing together people with different perspectives does not automatically result in successful collaboration. Certain types of dynamics that result from a variety of skill levels or perspectives can hinder a team's ability to problem solve effectively. For example, if someone with a lower level of skills or knowledge has higher levels of confidence than others in a group, this can lower the group's collective ability to accurately navigate a problem or challenge they are faced with.
Neural synchrony and social neuroscience research helps us move out of studying brains in isolation and gives us new insights into collective intelligence and relationship dynamics. Listen to more of her insights in this episode.
Learn more about Caroline Szymanski's research
Also check out Suzanne Dikker's work on brainwave synchrony and how this can inform education.
