Unlocking Connection: How Watching Health Messages Together Syncs Our Brains

Researchers have discovered something interesting using portable EEG (electroencephalography) devices. When groups watch the same health promotion videos, their brain activity starts to sync up. This suggests that the videos are more than just seen and heard; they are truly engaging the audience. This breakthrough might lead to the future of ‘neural’ focus groups, enhancing the effectiveness of health campaigns.

Think about catchy jingles from your childhood that you still remember. They stick with you because they work! Today, marketing is more challenging than ever. With so much competition for attention, quick distractions, and rampant misinformation, it’s tough to get important messages, like health campaigns, across effectively.

A team from the University of Konstanz in Germany conducted a study using portable EEGs to measure how people’s brains respond to videos about risky alcohol consumption. Their research could revolutionize focus groups by integrating neuroscience to better understand how messages affect viewers.

As Harald Schupp, a psychology professor and co-author of the study, explained, “Not all health campaigns are effective.” This research aims to improve how health messages reach their audiences.

Traditionally, focus groups gather people’s opinions and insights. However, this study adds a twist by using EEG to capture real-time brain responses. Schupp noted that brain measures allow researchers to observe how people react to videos, something standard surveys can’t achieve. “These measures make it possible to analyze videos and audio for a deeper understanding,” he said.

The researchers used a method called Inter-Subject Correlation (ISC) analysis. This approach looks at how similarly audiences respond to the same stimulus, like a video. Instead of examining individual responses, ISC focuses on common brain activity among the group. In a previous study, the researchers found that strong health messages correlated with heightened brain responses. In this latest work, they hoped to gather similar data in a more relaxed setting.

Portable EEGs are non-invasive tools that record electrical activity in the brain through sensors on the scalp or a special cap. This study utilized a low-density EEG with 24 electrodes, allowing them to gather data effectively without a full lab setup.

In their study, 41 participants—24 women and 17 men with an average age of 23—watched health videos either in small groups or alone. They used laptops to receive the EEG signals wirelessly. After each video, participants rated its effectiveness and other factors. The researchers also collected self-report data on alcohol consumption before, immediately after, and four weeks later.

The findings were noteworthy. They found that the ISC data mirrored results from earlier studies conducted in controlled lab settings. Strong health messages again proved effective, as they increased brain synchronization among viewers. The study also confirmed that it’s practical to collect neural data in group settings, reinforcing the connection between message strength and engagement. However, unlike previous studies, this research didn’t find significant changes in participants’ alcohol risk perceptions or behaviors.

According to Martin Imhof, another co-author of the study, these results show that people engage with the message at a deeper level. “It goes beyond just seeing and hearing,” he explained. “We believe viewers are really connecting with the video’s content.”

While these findings suggest that portable EEGs could transform how we conduct focus groups, challenges remain. Although more affordable than high-density EEGs, the technology is still complex and costly. Simplifying the setup could allow health or marketing campaigns to become far more impactful.

As Schupp emphasized, it’s important to build on this research to improve how health organizations develop their campaigns, even without advanced technical resources.

This study has been published in the Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience journal.

Check out this related article: Discover the Surprising Health Benefits of Pairing Chocolate and Tea—Better Than Wine!