About This Project

The project will generate empirical evidence to inform the design of socially connective virtual environments. Inter-brain synchrony, a phenomenon where brain activity patterns between 2+ individuals become aligned or connected, has been observed with fMRI, fNIRS, and EEG during joint attention, motor coordination & decision-making; we hypothesize that virtual shared aesthetic play will similarly elicit measurable synchrony alongside increased team flow in youth.

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What is the context of this research?

Artificial intelligence increasingly shapes digital interaction environments. Algorithmic personalization systems structure exposure to content and interaction patterns, often emphasizing individualized engagement. Meanwhile, adolescent development research highlights the importance of high-quality peer interaction and shared experience. Designing virtual environments that scaffold meaningful shared engagement is therefore an important research challenge. However, most research on synchronized aesthetic experiences examines in-person interaction. Whether similar effects occur in virtual collaborative artistic environments remains underexplored. This project tests that question by first evaluating structured collaborative aesthetic tasks, then modifying the platform to introduce increasingly open-ended creative interaction, and comparing neural and subjective measures across conditions.

What is the significance of this project?

Youth mental health is in crisis. Now more than ever it is important to develop a community of creative and empathetic youth, starting with a user-generated creative platform where kids create, explore and learn about each other; while reducing stress, and increasing self-awareness and emotional regulation, and continuing on with in-person events and other initiatives. This project hopes to lay the foundation for a systematic approach to apply neuroarts in multiple facets of life, to ensure a rounded approach to support mindful and resilient generations to come.

What are the goals of the project?

Our project aims to deliver a digital offering that fuses neuroscience, creativity and well-being intended to cultivate a growth mindset, strengthen social and emotional regulation, reduce stress and depression and ultimately nurture empathy and compassion. In this project, we aim to prototype and evaluate digital social art-making activities for youth, which builds upon the findings as outlined in the context. The first aesthetic experience will comprise collaborative drawing, and the second activity will involve a music-making activity. The target population will be youth aged 10-14. The goal is to explore how to make an art-based collaborative app that is conducive to shared “Team Flow”. We will evaluate the systems using an EEG and surveys, in collaboration with research assistants from the neuroscience program. We will then integrate feedback from neuroscientists, expressive arts therapists and children to refine design and content.