Interpersonal Synchrony in Autism Spectrum Conditions

Interpersonal synchrony refers to the dynamic coordination of behaviour, movement and timing between individuals during social interaction. In autism spectrum conditions (ASC), subtle difficulties in aligning nonverbal signals—such as gesture, facial expression and body movement—can disrupt rapport, empathy and mutual understanding. Research indicates that atypical temporal processing and reduced sensitivity to social timing may underlie these synchrony differences. Studies in naturalistic settings demonstrate that both spontaneous and intentional synchronisation are often less pronounced in dyads involving autistic individuals, regardless of whether their partner is autistic or neurotypical. This diminution of synchrony has been linked to challenges in forming positive first impressions, coordinating joint actions and embedding autistic individuals within social contexts. Advances in computational methods, including motion energy analysis and machine learning, now allow objective quantification of synchrony patterns, revealing characteristic profiles of reduced reciprocal adaptation in both head and body movements. Such findings have implications for refining diagnostic assessments, guiding therapeutic interventions and fostering more inclusive social environments.

Research from Nature Portfolio

A 2023 investigation applied lagged cross-correlation of motion energy to silent video clips of dyadic conversations, assessing how each interactant’s movements influenced the other. It found that when non-autistic participants led the synchrony, they received more favourable first-impression ratings, whereas autistic interactants did not gain similar benefits from leading. This suggests that diminished interpersonal synchrony contributes directly to less positive social judgements of autistic individuals, highlighting the role of temporal coordination in impression formation.

Interpersonal Synchrony in Autism Spectrum Conditions publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in interpersonal synchrony in autism spectrum conditions across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Interpersonal synchrony: The alignment of timing, movement or physiological signals between individuals during social interaction.

Motion energy analysis: A computational method that quantifies bodily movement by analysing changes in pixel intensity over time in video recordings.

Social motor synchrony: The coordination of gross motor behaviours (e.g. gestures, posture shifts) between conversational partners, either spontaneously or by instruction.

Dyadic interaction: A social exchange involving two individuals, often studied to assess reciprocal behaviours such as turn-taking and synchrony.

References

1. Machine learning classification of autism spectrum disorder based on reciprocity in naturalistic social interactions. Translational Psychiatry (2024).
2. Social motor synchrony in autism spectrum conditions: A systematic review. Autism (2023).
3. The role of interpersonal synchrony in forming impressions of autistic and non-autistic adults. Scientific Reports (2023).
4. Reduced nonverbal interpersonal synchrony in autism spectrum disorder independent of partner diagnosis: a motion energy study. Molecular Autism (2020).
5. Time perception and autistic spectrum condition: A systematic review. Autism Research (2019).