Have you ever felt a connection with others while singing, dancing, or listening to music together? Psychologist Robin Dunbar says moving in sync can create strong bonds between people. He believes it helped early humans make larger groups and better communities.
Dunbar thinks humans found a way to get in tune with many people at the same time using voices or body movements. This let us make bigger groups than other primates, who usually bond by grooming each other. When people sing or dance in sync, they release feel-good chemicals, which help build relationships.
In one experiment with athletes, researchers found that those who worked out in sync with others were more resistant to pain. This may be because their endorphin levels increased. In another study, people who danced in sync felt closer to others than those who danced separately.
One interesting experiment involved babies. It showed that they are more likely to help an adult if they previously bounced in sync with them. This suggests that even very young children can experience the bonding effects of synchrony.
Research has also shown that we use both the left and right sides of the brain when we move in sync with others. Additionally, the brain’s reward system is activated, making us more likely to lend a hand to others when we are in sync.
Animals, like birds and fish, also show synchrony in their movements. This points to this kind of behavior having evolutionary roots. Flocks of birds flying in formation and schools of fish swimming together are examples of synchrony in the animal kingdom. This type of behavior helps animals stick together to protect themselves from predators and to find food more efficiently.
In one experiment, chimpanzees performing synchronized movements were more likely to cooperate later on. This finding supports the idea that synchrony is not just a human phenomenon but may also play a part in the social lives of other animals.
So, the next time you’re at a concert or dance party, remember that moving together not only feels good but also helps us bond with others and create a sense of unity.
Vocabulary
- be in tune with someone
to be connected or have a good understanding with someone - feel-good chemicals
substances in the body that create a happy or positive feeling - work out
1. to exercise,
2. to have a favorable outcome,
3. work toward a solution or agreement,
4. to solve through reasoning or calculation - be in sync
to move or act at the same time as others; to work well with others or be in agreement - lend a hand
to help someone - stick together
to support each other - play a part in
to be a factor in
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