UDC

[612.821.3+612.825.4+612.178.1]:316.47

DOI

10.17238/issn2542-1298.2019.7.3.349

Authors

Elena P. Murtazina*, Irina S. Matyul’ko*/**, Boris V. Zhuravlev*, Natal’ya K. Golubeva***
*Р.К. Anokhin Research Institute of Normal Physiology (Moscow, Russian Federation)
**National Research University Higher School of Economics (Moscow, Russian Federation)
***I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University of the Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation (Moscow, Russian Federation)
Corresponding author: Elena Murtazina, address: ul. Baltiyskaya 8, Moscow, 125315, Russian Federation; e-mail: e.murtazina@nphys.ru

Abstract

This article provides a review of literature data about the effect of social relations and interactions between people in different contexts on the body’s somatoautonomic indices. It has been demonstrated that electrodermal resistance, electrodermal response, as well as heart rate variability and respiration variability are physiological indicators of social relations and personal interactions. Changes in these indices in different social contexts may reflect the empathic abilities of people and their prosocial skills as well as correlate with the efficiency of cooperative and competitive activities and the psychological characteristics of social behaviour. Further, the paper presents the findings that reveal synchronization of the somatoautonomic changes in interacting individuals, such as mother and child, psychotherapist and his client, or in cooperating people and those watching a film together. A number of studies indicate gender- and age-related differences in the changes in somatoautonomic indices in response to socially significant factors, which can be explained by the socio-emotional selectivity theory. Moreover, the review provides data on the association between the psychological characteristics, level of social anxiety and autonomic change profiles, differing in terms of prevalence of the activity of the parasympathetic or sympathetic systems, as well as on a possible inheritance of these features. In addition, studies are considered indicating that the parasympathetic loop and cortical-subcortical structures of the brain, especially its prefrontal areas, cingulate cortex, amygdala, and others play a leading role in the involvement of the autonomic components into the system of social behaviour in humans. It should be pointed out that investigations into the physiological basis of social relations are important due to a significant influence of social factors on the psychosomatic health in humans and due to the necessity of increasing the efficiency of teamwork as well as improving group learning and family environment.

Keywords

social interaction, autonomic nervous system, cardiac rhythm, heart rate variability, electrodermal response

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