will take place on Tuesday, May 27st, 2025 from 16:00 to 17:00 hours in the CBBM Building, Ground Floor, Seminar Room Levi-Montalcini.
Host: Prof. Sarah Jessen
Institut für Medizinische Psychologie
Abstract: Early social interactions between caregivers and children form the foundation for socio-cognitive and emotional development. Central to these interactions is the emergence of interpersonal synchrony—the dynamic alignment of neural, behavioral, and physiological activity between individuals. My research explores this synchrony through two complementary lenses: neural coupling in parent–child dyads during naturalistic interaction and the development of communicative musicality in infancy.
Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) hyperscanning alongside behavioral and physiological measures, I investigate how neural synchrony is a marker of early bonding experiences. Findings from caregiver–infant and preschool dyads reveal that synchrony in frontal and temporal brain regions is enhanced when dyads interact freely or cooperate in more structured tasks. This synchrony correlates with behavioral reciprocity, parental traits, and child attachment representations, suggesting it may serve as a neurobiological marker of interaction and relational quality.
Parallel work examines musicality as a natural and culturally universal channel for early social engagement. Across two studies involving EEG and kinematic tracking, we show that infants as young as 3 months exhibit enhanced neural responses and coordinated movement patterns to music, with these responses maturing over the first year of life. Hyperscanning of mother–infant pairs during live musical play further reveals interactive neural dynamics shaped by the level of engagement.
Together, these lines of research underscore the role of interpersonal synchrony—whether through touch, collaboration, or shared rhythm—as a fundamental mechanism through which early relationships shape brain development.
