Synchronous Smiles and Hearts: Dyadic Meditations Enhance Closeness and Prosocial Behavior in Virtual and In-Person Settings.

Summary

Just two minutes of shared gazing can significantly boost feelings of closeness. Research shows dyadic meditations, like contemplating shared humanity while gazing, enhance **connection** and prosocial behavior. Studies, **remote** and in-person, found these practices powerfully increased closeness and fostered positive **relationships**. Contemplative gazing offered even greater benefits, promoting more generous behavior. Crucially, these exercises induced **synchrony** in smiles and heartbeats, offering a path to combat **loneliness** and improve social well-being.

Abstract

Social connection is crucial for well-being and health. Dyadic meditations-contemplative practices carried out by two people together-have the potential to foster connection. In the dyadic "Just-Like-Me" (JLM) meditation, two participants gaze at each other while contemplating sentences emphasizing their shared humanity. We assessed the psychological impacts of this exercise, as well as the underlying mechanisms, by comparing it to two active control conditions: mutual gazing without contemplation and solitary meditation. Study 1 was a virtual study with 55 individuals who formed 100 experimental dyads, whereas Study 2 was an in-person study with 98 participants in 238 dyad pairings. Participants engaged in a 2-min JLM, gazing, or solitary meditation exercise (the latter only in Study 2). We recorded self-reported feelings, decisions on a hypothetical dictator game, facial expressions (Study 1), and heart rates (Study 2). Both JLM and gazing increased closeness with medium-to-large effect sizes both virtually and in person (~ 1 SD increase for JLM). JLM increased closeness more than gazing in person (medium-sized effect). Both exercises had small-to-medium effects on positive partner perceptions. In-person, dictator game allocations were higher following JLM than following solitary meditation. Both JLM and gazing induced synchronous smiling, with JLM producing stronger effects (Study 1). JLM induced synchronous heart rates (Study 2). Smiling synchrony predicted positive relational outcomes with small-to-medium effect sizes. Dyadic meditations, such as JLM and gazing, are effective in promoting closeness and prosocial behavior. Non-verbal and emotional synchrony between meditation partners is a potential mechanism facilitating these benefits. Dyadic meditation practices may contribute to addressing widespread loneliness and enhancing social dimensions of well-being. This study is not preregistered. The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12671-025-02588-7.

Tags