The narratives that divide us and bring us together: Neural and behavioral synchrony amongst members of historical victim and perpetrator groups

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Leonhard Schilbach
• Subject Area: Human Cognitive and Systems Neuroscience ; Cognitive, Systems and Behavioural Neurobiology
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 535106243

The 'second-person' approach to neuroscience focuses on studying neural and behavioral synchrony in social interactions. Research applying this approach has revealed that such synchrony is crucial for mutual empathy and cooperation, yet it might be modulated by the subjective filters and narratives that people use when making sense of the objective reality. The proposed research will apply these insights to the context of intergroup reconciliation. Using the well-established theoretical framework of the needs-based model of reconciliation and focusing on German-Jewish relations, we aim to shed light on how the neural activity of members of historical perpetrator and victim groups diverges in response to naturalistic stimuli related to the historic transgression (Study 1), and whether identity-affirmation interventions previously found to increase conciliatory inclinations by addressing specific aspects of a group’s narrative can increase neural (Study 1) as well as behavioral and physiological (Study 2) synchrony across group lines. In Study 1, German and Jewish participants will watch documentaries inside an MRI scanner, to examine whether and how (a) their brain activity might diverge in response to holocaust-related (vs. Neutral) clips, yet (b) following identity-affirmation interventions, affirmed (vs. Non-affirmed) group members might express greater willingness for reconciliation and openness to the outgroup’s narrative, and © show increased synchronization in brain activity. Study 2 will examine the behavioral and physiological synchrony (e.g., in terms of facial expression and heart rate variability) between affirmed (vs. Non-affirmed) German and Jewish participants engaging in real-life dyadic interactions (via Zoom). These studies will be pioneering in examining the role of neural, physiological and behavioral synchrony in intergroup reconciliation processes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Israel
• International Co-Applicants: Professorin Dr. Nurit Shnabel; Dr. Yaara Yeshurun-Dishon