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Shared brain states and "social synchrony" in the classroom

Date: Thursday 14 May

Time: 4.30 - 6.00pm (1 hour presentation, followed by discussion and questions)

Venue: Level 7 Seminar Room, Queensland Brain Institute (Building #79) The University of Queensland, St Lucia Campus

Speaker: Associate Professor Ross Cunnington

Title: Shared brain states and "social synchrony" in the classroom

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About the speaker: Associate Professor Ross Cunnington is a cognitive neuroscientist with research interests in the brain processes involved in the planning and preparation for action and in the perception and imitation of others’ actions. He was awarded a PhD in psychology from Monash University in 1997. He joined The University of Queensland in 2007 as a Principal Research Fellow in the School of Psychology and the Queensland Brain Institute.

Abstract: Neuroscience research in my lab over the last few years has focussed on "mirroring" processes in the brain that are important for our ability to perceive and understand others' actions, intentions, and emotions. We find that empathy for another person depends partly on processes in our brain that lead us to automatically mirror or share the emotions of the other person, where we literally feel some of their joy or their pain. We also know this mirroring brain activity, leading to shared brain states, is much stronger for people with whom we have social relationships and perceive as part of our "in-group".

The role of "social synchrony" between students in the classroom is becoming a focus of research in education, but we don't know how and whether this relates to shared brain states or leads to better learning outcomes. In a major project of the Science of Learning Research Centre, we are assessing synchrony in biological responses (heart-rate and palm sweating that are driven by arousal or anxiety levels in the brain) between students in secondary school science classes. By using connectivity modelling across all students in the class, we are able to see who is "connected" with whom in terms of their shared physiological (brain) states. We can then determine how such "connectedness" relates to learning outcomes, particularly for small group co-operative learning.

Please share this invitation with other interested colleagues.

Please note, there is no parking within the immediate vicinity. There is pay parking along Sir William MacGregor Drive, in the top level of the Conifer Knoll Carpark off Thyne Road (10 minute walk) and Oval 6 Parking Station off Sir William MacGregor Drive (10 minute walk).