Processing fluency for visual synchrony perception

Abstract

Synchrony is an important aspect of social behaviour. Prior research has observed a synchrony-bonding effect, suggesting that synchronised action may be an efficient way of creating and maintaining social affiliation. However, most of the theories attempting to explain this synchrony-bonding effect rely upon higher-order social cognition. Relatively little attention has been given to the perceptual experience of synchrony, and the low-level perceptual mechanisms involved. One possible mechanism that could explain some of the effects of synchrony is that of processing fluency. In two pre-registered experiments, we test the novel hypothesis that synchrony (congruent movement) is easier to process than non-synchrony. We find an effect of speed congruency, but not direction congruency, on performance in a Flanker task with animated Gabor patches. The stimuli presented here are continuous vectors, best understood as derivatives of the periodic movement seen in naturalistic stimuli. As such, incongruent speed is most likely to be experienced while perceiving non-synchronised periodic movement, suggesting a greater processing load during the perception of that movement. Crucially, the effect observed here does not rely upon social stimuli, and may operate at an early stage of perceptual processing. This is an initial step in establishing a novel theory of the synchrony-bonding effect, based upon the principles of processing fluency.

Love songs and serenades: a theoretical review of music and romantic relationships

“…As described earlier, these effects are largely driven by sensorimotor synchronization and coordination, the predictability of these actions and their activating reward networks (Clayton et al, 2020;Hesp et al, 2021;Bamford, 2022). This result is consistent with the expansion of the self theory (Aron and Tomlinson, 2018): individuals seek to expand their sense of self and experience an inclusion of the other within themselves, something that could be facilitated by synchronized actions.…”

“…Synchrony also engages the same endorphin reward system that is also active during social grooming in primates (Cohen et al, 2010;Tarr et al, 2014). It is not yet understood precisely how synchrony hijacked this reward system, although it could be because of a processing fluency response to synchronized stimuli (Bamford, 2022;Bamford et al, 2023), and processing fluency is generally rewarding (Winkielman et al, 2003;Landwehr and Eckmann, 2020).…”

“…Successful coordination through music-dance may be an honest signal of shared priors; sharing the same music/dance knowledge may indicate similarity in terms of interests or cultural background in a way that is very difficult to fake (Podlipniak, 2023). Sexually selected traits are often also hedonically marked (Rosenthal and Ryan, 2022), which could arise from the processing fluency effect of prediction fulfillment that may underpin the social bonding effects of synchrony (Bamford, 2022). Sustained interaction (through the building phase) increases predictability, as we learn more about the partner (increased passion and intimacy).…”

“…Sustained interaction (through the building phase) increases predictability, as we learn more about the partner (increased passion and intimacy). Synchronized activity (i.e., music-dance) is a useful tool at this stage, because it makes the other more predictable relative to the self (Vesper et al, 2011;Bamford, 2022;Kret and Akyüz, 2022;Ravreby et al, 2022). A relationship becomes increasingly stable as a partner becomes more predictable.…”

“…However, when it comes to the process of getting to know each other and assessing compatibility, music has some distinct advantages. It allows individuals to interact simultaneously without the need for turn-taking, thus fostering collaborative interactions without excessive cognitive effort (see the synchrony-bonding effect, e.g., Hove and Risen, 2009;Pearce et al, 2015;Bamford, 2022). In initial encounters, discussing musical preferences may be more accessible than directly expressing attitudes and values (e.g., Rentfrow and Gosling, 2006).…”