Prosocial consequences of interpersonal synchrony: a meta-analysis

Abstract. The capacity to establish interpersonal synchrony is fundamental to human beings because it constitutes the basis for social connection and understanding. Interpersonal synchrony refers to instances when the movements or sensations of two or more people overlap in time and form. Recently, the causal influence of interpersonal synchrony on prosociality has been established through experiments. The current meta-analysis is the first to synthesize these isolated and sometimes contradictory experiments. We meta-analyzed 60 published and unpublished experiments that compared an interpersonal synchrony condition with at least one control condition. The results reveal a medium effect of interpersonal synchrony on prosociality with regard to both attitudes and behaviors. Furthermore, experimenter effects and intentionality moderate these effects. We discuss the strengths and limitations of our analysis, as well as its practical implications, and we suggest avenues for future research

Facing Sorrow as a Group Unites. Facing Sorrow in a Group Divides.

This dataset contains the data file of an experiment that was published in an article entitled "Facing Sorrow as a Group Unites. Facing Sorrow in a Group Divides.", by Rennung & Göritz (2015) in PLoS-One. // Deutsche Beschreibung: Der Datensatz umfasst die Daten eines Experiments, dessen Ergebnisse von Rennung & Göritz (2015) unter dem Titel "Facing Sorrow as a Group Unites. Facing Sorrow in a Group Divides." in PLoS-One veröffentlicht wurden. Die Methode und die Ergebnisse des Experiments können in der o.g. Publikation nachgelesen werden.This dataset contains the data file of an experiment that was published in an article entitled "Facing Sorrow as a Group Unites. Facing Sorrow in a Group Divides.", by Rennung & Göritz (2015) in PLoS-One. // Deutsche Beschreibung: Der Datensatz umfasst die Daten eines Experiments, dessen Ergebnisse von Rennung & Göritz (2015) unter dem Titel "Facing Sorrow as a Group Unites. Facing Sorrow in a Group Divides." in PLoS-One veröffentlicht wurden. Die Methode und die Ergebnisse des Experiments können in der o.g. Publikation nachgelesen werden

Facing Sorrow as a Group Unites. Facing Sorrow in a Group Divides.

Collective gatherings foster group cohesion through providing occasion for emotional sharing among participants. However, prior studies have failed to disentangle two processes that are involved in emotional sharing: 1) focusing shared attention on the same emotion-eliciting event and 2) actively sharing one's experiences and disclosing one's feelings to others. To date, it has remained untested if shared attention influences group cohesion independent of active emotional sharing. Our experiment investigated the effect of shared versus individual attention on cohesion in groups of strangers. We predicted that differences in group cohesion as called forth by shared vs. individual attention are most pronounced when experiencing highly arousing negative affect, in that the act of experiencing intensely negative affect with others buffers negative affect's otherwise detrimental effect on group cohesion. Two-hundred sixteen participants were assembled in groups of 3 to 4 people to either watch an emotion-eliciting film simultaneously on a common screen or to watch the same emotion-eliciting film clip on a laptop in front of each group member using earphones. The film clips were chosen to elicit either highly arousing negative affect or one of three other affective states representing the other poles in Russel's Circumplex model of affect. We examined self-reported affective and cognitive group cohesion and a behavioral measure of group cohesion. Results support our buffer-hypothesis, in that experiencing intense negative affect in unison leads to higher levels of group cohesion than experiencing this affect individually despite the group setting. The present study demonstrates that shared attention to intense negative emotional stimuli affects group cohesion independently of active emotional sharing

Closeness & Liking.

<p>Self-reported closeness and liking by attention and mood.</p

Liking of Group Symbol.

<p>Self-reported liking of group symbol by attention and mood.</p

Correlation between the four dependent variables.

<p><i>Note</i>. Pearson’s two-tailed correlations are displayed for the negative-mood condition (N = 46).</p><p>** <i>p</i> < .01,</p><p>* <i>p</i> < .05.</p><p>Correlation between the four dependent variables.</p

Liking of Group Symbol as mediator.

<p>Model of Attention as predictor of Payment for Group Symbol, mediated by Liking of Group Symbol. “Direct effect” refers to the effect of Attention on Payment for Group Symbol when Liking of Group Symbol is not included in the model and when it is included in the model (in parentheses).</p