Coupling up: A dynamic investigation of romantic partners’ neurobiological states during nonverbal connection

Nonverbal connection is an important aspect of everyday communication. For romantic partners, nonverbal connection is essential for establishing and maintaining feelings of closeness. EEG hyperscanning offers a unique opportunity to examine the link between nonverbal connection and neural synchrony among romantic partners that has yet to be clearly established. The current study used an EEG hyperscanning paradigm to collect frontal alpha asymmetry (FAA) signatures from 30 participants (15 romantic dyads) engaged in five different types of nonverbal connection that varied based on physical touch and visual contact. Results suggest that there is a lack of FAA while romantic partners are embracing and positive FAA (i.e., indicating approach) while they are holding hands, looking at each other, or doing both. Additionally, partners’ FAA synchrony was greatest at a four second lag while they were holding hands and looking at each other. Finally, there was a significant relationship between partners’ weekly negative feelings and FAA such that as they felt more negative their FAA became more positive. Taken together, this study further supports that fleeting moments of interpersonal touch and gaze are important for the biological mechanisms that may underlie affiliative pair bonding in romantic relationships.