Supression of Alpha- and Beta-Oscillations during Virtual Social Interactions

Abstract

The aim was to study the oscillatory dynamics accompanying the processes of interaction with the virtual character and the localization of the revealed effects. 42 subjects (of which 25 are women) aged 18 to 41 years took part in the study. During the EEG recording, the subjects had to interact with the virtual character by choosing one of three options (“offer friendship”, “attack” or “avoid contact”). Faces with 5 types of emotional expressions (angry, happy, frightened, sad and neutral) were used. An analysis of equivalent dipoles revealed that the choice of active interaction (to attack or offer friendship), compared with the avoidance of interaction, was accompanied by a large decrease in α- and β-rhythms, which may be associated with the processes of understanding the virtual character’s intentions. The choice of friendship versus avoidance of interaction was accompanied by an increase in δ-rhythm, which may indicate the presence of a motivational component. The revealed effects were found in clusters of equivalent dipoles, the localization of which coincides with the structures of the mentalization network and the network of mirror neurons involved in the processes of people’s intent assessment.