arXiv subjects

Haiwa Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Haiwa Wang.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Who Is in Mind Matters: Attachment Representations in Early Childhood Synchronize Child-Adult Interacting Brains

Human attachment is distinguished by enduring internalized representations that shapes neurodevelopment and social-emotional functioning. However, as unobservable inner processes mixed with social cues and partner-specific factors, the neurocognitive mechanisms of these representations during real-time interaction remain unclear. Using a novel Remote Partner-Belief Manipulation paradigm in 40 child-mother-stranger trios, we experimentally isolated attachment representations in 3-4-year-olds by manipulating children's partner-belief during remote cooperation. The inner processes were captured from synchrony between partners' EEG, showing that children's mother-partner belief, regardless of the actual partner, significantly enhanced interbrain synchrony. This partner-belief modulation concentrated on children's P4 channel (overlaying the attachment-designated right temporoparietal junction), where synchrony strength correlated to attachment security and children's response acceleration due to mother-partner belief. These findings established attachment representations as an independent, endogenous driver of interbrain synchrony, potentially via children's heightened attention towards their attachment figure, implying the role of symbolic attachment activation when separation.

q-bio.NC↗

arXiv2025

Theta and/or alpha? Neural oscillational substrates for dynamic inter-brain synchrony during mother-child cooperation

Mother-child interaction is a highly dynamic process neurally characterized by inter-brain synchrony (IBS) at θ and/or α rhythms. However, their establishment, dynamic changes, and roles in mother-child interactions remain unknown. Through dynamic analysis of dual-EEG from 40 mother-child dyads during turn-taking cooperation, we uncover that θ-IBS and α-IBS alternated with interactive behaviors, with EEG frequency-shift as a prerequisite for IBS transitions. When mothers attempt to track their children's attention and/or predict their intentions, they will adjust their EEG frequencies to align with their children's θ oscillations, leading to a higher occurrence of the θ-IBS state. Conversely, the α-IBS state, accompanied by the EEG frequency-shift to the α range, is more prominent during mother-led interactions. Further exploratory analysis reveals greater presence and stability of the θ-IBS state during cooperative than non-cooperative conditions, particularly in dyads with stronger emotional attachments and more frequent interactions in their daily lives. Our findings shed light on the neural oscillational substrates underlying the IBS dynamics during mother-child interactions.

q-bio.NC↗

arXiv2023

Inter-brain substrates of role switching during mother-child interaction

Mother-child interaction is highly dynamic and reciprocal. Switching roles in these back-and-forth interactions serves as a crucial feature of reciprocal behaviors while the underlying neural entrainment is still not well-studied. Here, we designed a role-controlled cooperative task with dual EEG recording to study how differently two brains interact when mothers and children hold different roles. When children were actors and mothers were observers, mother-child inter-brain synchrony emerged within the theta oscillations and the frontal lobe, which highly correlated with children's attachment to their mothers. When their roles were reversed, this synchrony was shifted to the alpha oscillations and the central area and associated with mothers' perception of their relationship with their children. The results suggested an observer-actor neural alignment within the actor's oscillations, which was modulated by the actor-toward-observer emotional bonding. Our findings contribute to the understanding of how inter-brain synchrony is established and dynamically changed during mother-child reciprocal interaction.

q-bio.NC↗