Oct 11, 2021 11:32:00

It turns out that the brain is synchronized when multiple people enter the 'zone' in sports and games

When you focus on sports and work, you may lose consciousness of other things and enter a

zone (flow) where you feel that time is slowing down. It is also known that team sports such as basketball, playing musical instruments by multiple people, and multiplayer games cause a state called 'team flow ' in which multiple people enter the zone at the same time. An international research team including Tohoku University and Toyohashi University of Technology analyzed this team flow and clarified the state of the brain peculiar to the team flow.

Team flow is a unique brain state associated with enhanced information integration and inter-brain synchrony | eNeuro
https://doi.org/10.1523/ENEURO.0133-21.2021

For the first time in the world, the brain activity when the team enters the 'zone' is revealed! | Tohoku University -TOHOKU UNIVERSITY-
https://www.tohoku.ac.jp/japanese/2021/10/press20211006-01-team.html

Neuroscientists Claim to Have Pinpointed The Brain States Unique to'Team Flow'
https://www.sciencealert.com/neuroscientists-claim-to-have-pinpointed-the-brain-states-unique-to-team-flow

The research team developed a rhythm game in which two people play simultaneously on one iPad in order to clarify the difference between the state of being in the flow by one person (solo flow) and the brain activity in the team flow, and a pair of subjects The brain waves were measured while playing the game under the following three conditions.

・ No board is installed between the two people, and a non-random rhythmic sound is played to create a team flow (Team Flow).
・ Without installing a board between two people, you can play random voices and work as a team, but you can not enter the flow (Team Only)
・ Install a board between two people to play a non-random rhythmic sound and make it a solo flow (Flow Only)

According to the research team, although research on flow has been conducted so far, it was difficult to objectively judge whether or not the subject was in a flow state. In this study, we used two methods in combination: 'questionnaire about the concentration state of the subject after the gameplay is over' and 'play a beep sound that is not related to the game and measure the brain reaction between gameplays'. , It was judged both subjectively and objectively whether or not the subject was in a flow state.

As a result of measuring brain waves under the above conditions, it was found that the activity of the middle temporal cortex, which is a part related to attention, memory, and consciousness, becomes more active in team flow than in solo flow. In addition, the team flow revealed that the brain activity of the subject pair was strongly synchronized.

Based on the results of this study, Mohammad Shihata , a member of the research team, said, 'In solo flow, the brain blocks external stimuli that are not related to tasks. In team flow, external stimuli other than information about the flow state of teammates. Because of this, the team's brain begins to sync. '

The research team is aiming to utilize the results of this research for monitoring and predicting the performance of the team.