Cooperation and competition are two basic modes of human interaction. Their underlying neural mechanisms, especially from an interpersonal perspective, have not been fully explored. Using the electroencephalograph-based hyperscanning technique, the present study investigated the neural correlates of both cooperation and competition within the same ecological paradigm using a classic motion-sensing tennis game. Both the inter-brain coupling (the inter-brain amplitude correlation and inter-brain phase-locking) and the intra-brain spectral power were analyzed. Only the inter-brain amplitude correlation showed a significant difference between cooperation and competition, with different spatial patterns at theta, alpha and beta frequency bands. Further inspection revealed distinct inter-brain coupling patterns for cooperation and competition; cooperation elicited positive inter-brain amplitude correlation at the delta and theta bands in extensive brain regions, while competition was associated with negative occipital inter-brain amplitude correlation at the alpha and beta bands. These findings add to our knowledge of the neural mechanisms of cooperation and competition and suggest the significance of adopting an inter-brain perspective in exploring the neural underpinnings of social interaction in ecological contexts.

中文翻译：

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脑间振幅相关性区分运动感应运动游戏中的合作与竞争

合作与竞争是人类交往的两种基本模式。它们的潜在神经机制，特别是从人际交往的角度来看，尚未得到充分探索。本研究使用基于脑电图的超扫描技术，使用经典的运动感应网球比赛调查了同一生态范式中合作和竞争的神经相关性。分析了脑间耦合（脑间振幅相关性和脑间锁相）和脑内光谱功率。只有脑间振幅相关性显示出合作和竞争之间的显着差异，在θ、α和β频段具有不同的空间模式。进一步的检查揭示了合作和竞争的不同脑间耦合模式；合作在广泛的大脑区域的 delta 和 theta 波段引起了正的脑间振幅相关，而在 alpha 和 beta 波段，竞争与枕骨间的负脑振幅相关相关。这些发现增加了我们对合作和竞争的神经机制的了解，并提出了采用大脑间视角来探索生态环境中社会互动的神经基础的重要性。