Discover how synchronous movements strengthen social bonds

Sharing stories over a cup of coffee, dancing in a group, cheering on a football game in a crowd: these daily rituals are among the many types of shared experiences that help humans develop social cohesion.

UConn researchers are studying another way humans connect: through synchronous movement or song, and Mohammadamin Saraei, a graduate student in the Department of Psychological Sciences, says we can see examples of this phenomenon all around us, and throughout history in many cultures and religions.

After years of research, we now know that synchrony improves social cohesion, creates shared identity, stimulates prosocial behavior, builds trust, and even contributes to our overall well-being.

But how does this synchrony occur at the group level? Saraei and her co-authors Alexandra Paxton, assistant professor in the Department of Psychological Sciences, and Dimitris Xygalatas, associate professor in the Department of Anthropology, detailed their findings in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B.

The researchers studied synchrony during a religious ritual at the UConn Islamic Center called Salat al Jama’ah, where more than 200 worshipers gathered for evening prayer.

They wanted to determine which aspects of the ritual had the most impact on creating synchrony, so they recruited participants who agreed to wear a comfortable device to measure physiological data like heart rate, breathing, and posture, and another device to measure participants’ position throughout the prayer.

Saraei explains that Muslims are encouraged to pray five times a day, ideally in groups. To emphasize the communal aspect, the researchers scheduled their study during the holy month of Ramadan, when Muslims fast during the day and are likely to pray in larger groups.

“We are very grateful to the Muslim students at UConn because it was difficult to participate in this study, especially considering that we collected this data during Ramadan when they were fasting for about 14 hours, but they were very cooperative and this study would not have been possible without them,” Saraei said.

For this ritual, worshipers gather for prayer in a group. Men are encouraged to line up behind the leader (imam). Women usually gather behind a partition and everyone faces in the same direction, the qibla, or the direction of Islam’s holiest site in Mecca. The imam leads a cycle of prayer that includes coordinated sequences of bowing and prostration.

The results showed that beyond the impacts of followers around an individual, the researchers discovered the important role of the leader in creating synchrony and its physiological impacts, such as the synchronization of participants’ heart rates.

“This study shows us the important role of a leader in a community. Having a leader is a double-edged sword. It can be good or bad, because if you have a bad leader, they can create a toxic environment for everyone, like a cult. But if you have a good leader, they can foster a community that helps everyone thrive,” Saraei says.

He says that another important aspect of creating synchrony was the proximity effect of the faithful to the imam: the closer they were to the imam, the stronger the effect.

“The faithful are strongly advised to stand in the front lines, behind the imam. We do not know the religious reasons behind this decision, but it is interesting to note that it is also linked to the synchronisation measures we have put in place,” he explains.

“I think one of the most important findings of this study is that if you are closer to this center of synchrony, you will become more synchronous, even physiologically in your heart rate, and there seems to be a ripple effect on the lines behind it.”

This training effect is likely due to the auditory and visual information worshipers receive, Saraei explains. During prayer, worshipers look down, allowing them to see their nearest neighbors in their peripheral vision, which appears to help them coordinate their movements.

“They hear the imam, but some don’t see him, and there’s a kind of two-way synchrony effect. On the one hand, you see your neighbors, and that’s one of your main sources of information, but on the other hand, you’re affected at a greater distance by the imam.”

Beyond religious contexts, Saraei explains that the Xygalatas research group also studies the role that synchrony plays in political events such as debates or rallies.

“The way people sing or clap for the president, all these gestures affect social cohesion. Another example is soldiers marching, which is of no use on today’s battlefields, but marching still has meaning because it creates that bond that is needed on the battlefield.”

Saraei is currently analyzing other positive health benefits of synchronous prayer by examining heart rate variability (HRV) during prayer.

“Another interesting finding in my current analysis is the increase in HRV during Islamic collective prayer, suggesting its positive effects on well-being and stress reduction.”

According to him, HRV is an indicator of factors such as reduced stress, a greater sense of well-being and a healthy immune system. Saraei also plans to study the impact of the number of participants on synchrony and the potential impacts of virtual participation versus in-person participation.

Saraei says this study shows some of the mechanisms underlying synchrony for anchoring and creating social interactions and cohesion. This is important because synchrony is a key aspect of our social life.

“Synchrony is all around us, subtly shaping our connections and experiences,” Saraei says. “Once you recognize it, you start to see it everywhere, woven into the fabric of everyday life, bringing us together in ways we often take for granted.”