Can music synchronicity improve interactions?
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Interaction and communication is the number one source for human bonding; we use it to make connections as well as relationships. There is nothing better than being able to connect with someone on a spiritual and intellectual level, and synchronicity through actions like clapping and finger tapping, especially in a musical environment, can help this.
One study proves that music synchronicity can improve relationships of any form, especially leader-follower ones if one of the two parties is given extra oxytocin.
The study was conducted by Aarhus University in Denmark (Center for Music in the Brain). The study had two control groups, each in separate rooms. These two groups had a leader/follower relationship. However, group A was given oxytocin through a nasal spray and group B was given a placebo through a nasal spray also.
The two groups were told to finger tap. Consequently, the report proved that the participants that received oxytocin (a natural hormone that promotes and improves social bond) were more synchronised when finger tapping together more so than the other control group receiving the placebo.
However, the correlation between oxytocin and synchronicity of the finger tapping still needs more research and investigation. The finger taps, simply suggested that the synchronicity was done by the participants predicting the taps as well as the teamwork and interaction.
In the study report, it adds: "When standing in a crowd at a concert, clapping hands along with the music on stage, it may be that people with higher levels of oxytocin are better synchronized with the beat of the music than those with lower levels of oxytocin".
The ability to synchronise musical beat is mostly a human skill, therefore, the following study adds to the concept that human behaviour is affected by socio-biological factors, such as the oxytocin and relationship dynamics such as leader/follower.
This also highlights the way that music can improve social interactions, and how being in rhythm with those around us can have positive results on our relationships towards them.