Document Type

Article

Language

English

Publication Date

2-2017

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Source Publication

Small Group Research

Source ISSN

1046-4964

Abstract

Body movements, autonomic arousal, and electroencephalograms (EEGs) of group members are often coordinated or synchronized with those of other group members. Linear and nonlinear measures of synchronization have been developed for pairs of individuals, but little work has been done on measures of synchronization for groups. We define a new synchronization coefficient, SE, for a group based on pairwise correlations in time series data and employing the notions of a group driver, who most drives the group’s responses, and empath, who is most driven by the group. SE is developed here in the context of emotional synchronization based on galvanic skin response time series. A simulation study explores its properties, the balance between strong versus weak autocorrelational effects, transfer, group size, and direct versus oscillatory functions. Distributions of SE are not affected by group size up to 16 members. Norms for interpreting the coefficient are presented along with directions for new research.

Comments

Accepted version. Small Group Research, Vol. 48, No. 1 (February 2017): 3-33. DOI. © 2017 SAGE Publications. Used with permission.

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