The presence of others is known to change our subjective feelings, as well as physiological responses such as heart rate. In order to find out whether similar changes in physiological responses can be seen even in the case of acquaintances, the research group conducted experiments in which close friends are present in their personal space (a space in which they feel comfortable when communicating with others). We experimentally verified what kind of physiological reactions occur in our bodies at times.

　In the experiment, 16 pairs of close friends participated and recorded electrocardiogram data while standing in various positions.

　They found that when a close friend was right in front of them, their heart rate decreased more than when they were in other positions. Furthermore, when autonomic nerve activity was investigated using electrocardiogram data, activation of parasympathetic nerve activity was observed. The presence of a close friend activates parasympathetic nerve activity, which is interpreted as a decrease in heart rate.

　Additionally, although no change in parasympathetic nerve activity was observed, heart rate also decreased when a friend was on the right side (when looking at a friend's right face or when a friend was looking at one's right face). was seen. This is thought to be due to the difference in the size of personal space between the dominant and non-dominant hands.

　This research is expected to contribute to related fields such as developmental science, social science, and psychopathology from the perspective of intervention methods and clinical suggestions for establishing smooth communication.

Paper information:[Scientific Reports] Electrocardiographic activity depends on the relative position between intimate persons