Interpretability of inter-brain synchronization/desynchronization based on the irruption theory

Abstract

Social interaction plays an essential role in human life, and it shapes the dynamics of society as a whole, transcending individual behavior and cognition. Many researchers who are exploring the neural basis of social interaction are focusing on inter-brain synchronization (IBS). Previous research has shown that IBS is associated with a high degree of performance on interpersonal tasks or social bonding. However, on the other hand, there are also studies that have shown association with inter-brain desynchronization (IBD), and accordingly the research findings on the neural basis of social interaction are not consistent. In this paper, in order to resolve such contradictions, we introduce an irruption theory of action and apply it to the case of active engagement in social interactions. When agents act consciously and voluntarily on a task (active involvement in a behavior), the behavior cannot be predicted by its underlying physiological factors alone and behavioral uncertainty increases. The irruption theory suggests that as increasing with the level of active involvement (or social engagement), the uncertainty (entropy) of neural and physiological activity may also increase. We introduce the theory of irruption and reinterpret the complementary relationship between interpersonal familiarities and IBS/IBD. Furthermore, we provide a complementary perspective on the possibility that switching (phase transition) between IBS and IBD over time is the neural basis of social interaction.