Interactional context is increasingly recognized as a key modulator of neural activity, yet its influence on sensorimotor dynamics is often examined using static or categorical contrasts. Here, we investigated whether and how interactional context systematically shapes the temporal organization of sensorimotor neural activity when the overt motor act is held constant. Using a scalable experimental design based on a rock–paper–scissors task, we examined mu (8–13 Hz), beta (13–30 Hz), and a composite mu+beta (8–30 Hz) event-related desynchronization/synchronization (ERD/ERS) signals across four interactional contexts, ranging from no interaction to real-time hyperscanning. Time-resolved generalized additive models (GAMs) were applied at the single-trial level to characterize non-linear, non-stationary context effects aligned to a shared motor event (button press).Across all frequency bands, sensorimotor ERD/ERS trajectories diverged across contexts in structured and temporally specific ways. Context-related modulation was most robust in the post-action interval, unfolding across early, mid, and late phases of the response rather than as static amplitude differences. Mu- and beta-band dynamics exhibited complementary temporal sensitivities, while the composite signal emphasized post-action patterns shared across rhythms and preserved a graded ordering of contexts. Importantly, contrasts involving hyperscanning did not reveal qualitatively distinct dynamics, but rather amplified and extended patterns already present in simpler interactional contexts.Together, these findings support a continuity-based view in which hyperscanning constitutes the upper bound of a scalable interactional continuum rather than a methodological exception. Methodologically, the results highlight the value of time-resolved modeling approaches for bridging traditional single-brain paradigms and real-world social interaction, and theoretically, they reinforce accounts of sensorimotor cognition as dynamically organized by interactional context over time.

This study explored the link between Perception Attachment Security (PAS), neurobehavioral dynamics during emotion recognition, and social skills using a hierarchical multilinear EEG model. We used facial expression recognition tasks, behavior, and socio-affective measures to model a lower-dimensional parameter (LDP), which we built to encapsulate specific task-related neurobehavioral patterns influenced by personal history. We hypothesized that higher PAS levels would correlate with better emotion recognition performance and social skills. Our results showed an early midline occipital LDP/PAS increase at around 70 and 170 ms, suggesting that attachment security influences the nervous system’s organization and early neurobehavioral processes. We suggest this implies higher attachment security individuals might be better at perceiving and understanding emotions, leading to improved social competence. Social competence was found to affect early LDP dynamics over right hemisphere sensors, emphasizing the role of positive social skills and attachment security in processing facial expressions of emotions. In later temporal stages, LDP dynamics linked with antisocial behavior showed an increase around 200 ms post-stimulus, suggesting cognitive resources might be used to disengage from or maintain emotional processing, possibly hindering the consideration of interpersonal interactions and contextual factors vital for social skill development. This underscores the need to consider a wide range of factors to fully understand social competence.

Wang et al.’s (2024) article is relevant due to several reasons. The obvious is previous work’s replication and expansion (Djebbara et al., 2019, 2021) by exploring how different forms of movement (walking/keyboard press) and environments (3D/2D) affect affordance perception. Replication and expansion using diverse populations and contexts is highly relevant to the still fledgling fields of Mobile Brain/Body Imaging (MoBI) and Neuroarchitecture; it should be facilitated and encouraged. Importantly, implementing a multi-article scalable experimental design (SED) heuristic (Parada, 2018). Furthermore -from our perspective- offers evidence supporting the 4E-Cognition perspective on how natural, built, digital, and symbolic (NaBDS) environments impact cognition. Even though we promote the 3E-Cognition principles for applied neuroscience (e.g. neuroarchitecture) (Parada et al., 2023), here we will nevertheless contextualize Wang et al.’s findings within the broader perspective offered by 4E-Cognition (Figure 1). We will use each 4E principle as guiding lines.

A document by Francisco J. Parada. Click on the document to view its contents.