Our daily lives are filled with social interactions. During these interactions, people naturally adjust their emotions to match those of others. This dynamic process is called emotional synchrony.
The development of synchrony begins early in life, with infants and parents coordinating their behaviors during playful moments. As children grow older, the synchronization of emotions becomes more complex, extending to various social relationships including friendships and romantic relationships.
But why does synchrony arise across these social contexts? And why does it matter? This research project aims to better understand how being ‘in sync’ with others contributes to people’s social and emotional development throughout life. We investigate how emotional synchrony plays a role across various social relationships. Moreover, we study how the synchrony between people changes as they grow from childhood to adulthood. In these ways, we try to shed light on these aspects through various longitudinal studies.
Being in sync together
The role of emotional synchrony in lifelong social-emotional development
- Duration
- 1 September 2021 until 1 September 2026
- Project member(s)
- D. Renjaän (David) MSc Prof. R. Otten (Roy) Dr L. Vervoort (Leentje) Dr F.W. Hasselman (Fred) , Dr. Thao Ha
- Project type
- Research