About this Research Topic

Background

Social interaction is a fundamental aspect of human behavior, and recent advancements in functional imaging technology have provided a novel technique to explore its intricacies – hyperscanning. Hyperscanning involves simultaneously monitoring the brain activity of multiple individuals, thereby permitting a deeper understanding of the intra and inter-brain processes underlying social interactions.

One of the primary applications of hyperscanning is to study the neural correlates of social coordination, i.e., behavioral synchronization patterns during social interaction. By observing brain activity in real-time, researchers can illuminate neurophysiological mechanisms that facilitate coordinated and efficient social exchanges. Indeed, hyperscanning permits investigation into psychosocial constructs such as empathy, helping researchers unravel the mechanisms which underlie our ability to understand and resonate with the emotions of others. Thus, hyperscanning can improve our understanding of not only the dynamics of face-to-face communication but also group behavior and dynamics and the pathophysiology of mental disorders exhibiting social interaction deficit, facilitating intervention development and evaluation.

However, despite the knowledge acquisition potential of hyperscanning and its increased use in social interaction research, gold-standard methodologies have yet to be established. This leaves ample research lines to be explored, such as the identification of biomarkers indicative of social interaction, or the development of techniques that leverage multi-person neurosciences. Moreover, as technology continues to advance, the potential applications of hyperscanning in understanding social interactions are bound to expand, opening new avenues for exploration in the fascinating realm of human social neuroscience.

Here, we extend a direct invitation for researchers to contribute to our upcoming collection on "Social Interaction and Hyperscanning" for Frontiers in Cognition. This is a chance to spotlight the latest breakthroughs in hyperscanning technology and its application in unraveling the neural dynamics of social interactions.

We welcome a wide range of submissions—from those about innovative applications, methodological advancements, to studies shedding light on social interaction from psychological, physiological, or neurophysical perspectives. We are also particularly interested in research on social interaction in neurodevelopmental disorders or psychiatric diseases.

If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of social neuroscience, we want to hear from you. Submit your work and be part of the conversation shaping the future of cognition.




_{In addition to being a Guest Research Associate of Hokkaido University and HEC Montreal, Topic Editor Jared Boasen is Director of Innovation at LRDG, Montreal. Dr. Boasen is also inventor of a digital cognitive function assessment system called Axon, which is currently patent pending. The other Topic Editors declare no competing interests with regard to the Research Topic subject.}

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Community Case Study
• Conceptual Analysis
• Curriculum, Instruction, and Pedagogy
• Data Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Policy and Practice Reviews
• Policy Brief
• Registered Report
• Review
• Study Protocol
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: hyperscanning, social cognition, social neuroscience, methodologies, social interaction

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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