2019/12/31 by Giovanni Pezzulo, Lucas Roche, Ludovic Saint-Bauzel
Computer Science · Engineering · Neuroscience · Psychology · #Action Observation and Synchronization #Group (periodic table) #Haptic technology #Joint (building) #Negotiation #Perception #Tactile and Sensory Interactions #Task (project management) #Team Dynamics and Performance #acm:H.5.2 #acm:J.4 #cs.HC #cs.RO #cs.SY #eess.SY #msc:H.5.2 #msc:J.4
paper · pdf · doi:10.1038/s41598-020-80041-6
published as Scientific Reports (2021) Vol. 11 · 13 pages, 3 figures, preprint
openalex created_date 2020/01/10 · arxiv created 2021/01/13 · openalex publication_date 2021/01/13 · arxiv updated 2021/01/14 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/06
Group decisions can outperform the choices of the best individual group members. Previous research suggested that optimal group decisions require individuals to communicate explicitly (e.g., verbally) their confidence levels. Our study addresses the untested hypothesis that implicit communication using a sensorimotor channel-haptic coupling-may afford optimal group decisions, too. We report that haptically coupled dyads solve a perceptual discrimination task more accurately than their best individual members; and five times faster than dyads using explicit communication. Furthermore, our computational analyses indicate that the haptic channel affords implicit confidence sharing. We found that dyads take leadership over the choice and communicate their confidence in it by modulating both the timing and the force of their movements. Our findings may pave the way to negotiation technologies using fast sensorimotor communication to solve problems in groups.