Group polarization calls for group-level brain communication

Abstract

Group of people shows the shift towards extreme of decision-making as opposed to individuals. Previous studies have revealed two directions of group polarization, i.e., risky shift and cautious shift, but how group of brains drive these shifts remains unknown. In the current study, we arranged risk advantage and disadvantage situations to elicit group polarization of risky shift and cautious shift respectively, and examined the averaged inter-brain synchronization (ABS) among participant triads during group decision making versus individual decision making. The elicited group polarizations were accompanied by the enhanced ABS at bilateral prefrontal areas and left temporoparietal junction (TPJ). Specifically, the TPJ ABS was equivalent in risky shift and cautious shift, and based on machine learning analyses, could predict the extent of group polarization; for two shifts, it negatively correlated with negative emotion. However, the right prefrontal ABS was stronger in risky shift than in cautious shift, and the same area showed the larger brain deactivation in former shift, indicating weaker executive control. For the left prefrontal ABS, only the equivalent ABS was found for two shifts. In sum, group polarization of risky shift and cautious shift calls for inter-brain communication at the group level, and the former shift is with deactivation and more brain synchronization. Our study suggests emotional and cognitive adjustment in decision making of the group compared with individuals.

Keywords: Brain deactivation Hyperscanning; Group polarization; Inter-brain synchronization; fNIRS.