Overview
- Early neural responses within 45–180 milliseconds were similar for all participants and even for randomly matched pseudo-pairs, reflecting shared sensory input rather than cooperation.
- After about 200 milliseconds, alignment appeared only in real pairs working together, indicating shared internal representations tied to their agreed strategies.
- The similarity of brain information patterns increased over the course of the experiment as partners became more practiced at the joint task.
- Participants sat back-to-back to classify visual shapes and patterns while researchers measured interbrain alignment using EEG hyperscanning and Representational Similarity Analysis.
- The peer-reviewed PLOS Biology paper discloses Australian Research Council funding and reports no funder role, with authors noting potential implications for group coordination and cultural practices.