Herding in human groups is related to high autistic traits

Abstract

Herding is ubiquitous throughout all social life forms, providing beneficial outcomes. Here, we examine whether herding emerges spontaneously in human groups and whether it adheres to the core principles of herding observed in the animal kingdom. Using a computerized paradigm involving the movements of circles, we tested the emergence of spontaneous and intentional herding of 136 participants assigned into groups of four participants. Herding was assessed by measuring directional synchrony in the movements of the circles, level of cohesion, and separation between circles. We found that human groups tend to spontaneously herd, particularly in terms of directional synchrony, supporting the notion of a human herding instinct. We further asked whether individuals with high traits of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) exhibit differences in their herding tendencies. Results indicated that individuals with high ASD traits showed greater social separation from the group, compared to individuals with low ASD traits. Moreover, we found diminished spontaneous synchrony, but intact instructed synchrony in the high vs. the low ASD traits group. We contend that humans spontaneously herd with their group and suggest that the spontaneous tendency to synchronize with others is diminished in individuals with high ASD traits, though it is recovered when synchronization is intentional.

The Association among Autistic Traits, Interactional Synchrony and Typical Pattern of Motor Planning and Execution in Neurotypical Individuals

“…Additionally, a recent study showed that individuals with high autistic traits tend to display a reduced spontaneous synchrony in human groups compared to individuals with low autistic traits. However, this tendency is recovered when synchrony is intentional [25]. Finally, adults with ASD exhibit a reduced ability in their modification of grasping movements in a task that required a synchrony of their movements with their respective partners [26].…”

“…Autistic traits are distributed on a continuum ranging from extreme to normal scores, which reflect the variation of the autistic traits across the general population [48]. Thus, similar to numerous studies [25,[49][50][51], the current study focused on individuals who are not diagnosed with ASD, but who vary in their possession of autistic traits.…”

Alone Again: Altered Activation in the Observation Execution System during Synchronization in High Loneliness Individuals

“…To measure real-time synchronization among interacting participants, the study used a computer-based movement synchronization multi-agent paradigm (Marton-Alper et al, 2020). This game allows individuals to interact nonverbally by controlling the movement of circle-shaped figures with different colors.…”

“…3) Sync conditionthis condition is similar to the free condition, however the participants are instructed to synchronize their movement to the best of their ability. The order of the conditions was maintained for all participants as was established in a previous study (Marton-Alper et al, 2020) so that instructed synchrony will not affect the emergence of spontaneous synchrony right after it.…”

“…Based on these findings, the current study examined whether high loneliness individuals show impaired interpersonal synchronization during social interactions. The study used an interactive computerized paradigm, which enables neuroimaging acquisition from participants, as they engage in a joint activity that becomes increasingly synchronized (Marton-Alper et al, 2020). During the study, individuals were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while interacting nonverbally by controlling the movement of differently colored circles.…”