Interpersonal Synchrony

 

Chapter 9 Page 230

See What I'm Saying

Author: Lawrence D. Rosenblum

 

 

Interpersonal synchrony is when two people interact and tend to mirror what the other is doing in terms of their facial and body movements (emotions and behaviors). A good example of this is when we are playing with infants or young children. They often start to mimic the parent and do what they are doing. It is part of the bonding parents have with their children. The children learn from them and also can begin to act like their parents in certain ways.

Simple things such as touching or singing to a child becomes a form of interpersonal synchrony between infants and their caregivers. These interactions are important for early childhood development. This allows children to understand themselves and others. When we are interacting with children, we often do so through the use of expressions. The children then mimic these expressions and learn how to use them in different situations. This does not always have to do with playful interactions. Interactions of any sort can develop into interpersonal synchrony. For example, When the young child does something they are not supposed to, they see the parent has an angry facial expression and over time they learn that that is the expression to use when you are upset. They then begin to use the same expressions when they feel similar emotions and so on.

 

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02078/full#:~:text=Specifically%2C%20interpersonal%20coordination%20%E2%80%93%20also%20referred,social%20exchanges%20in%20early%20development.