Reliability for music-induced heart rate synchronization

Common inputs synchronize various biological systems. This mechanism potentially explains collective human emotions in theater as unintentional behavioral synchronization. However, the inter-subject correlation of physiological signals among individuals is small. Based on empirical and theoretical findings on the common input synchronization of nonlinear systems, we hypothesized that individual differences in perceptual and cognitive systems reduce the reliability of physiological responses to aesthetic stimuli and, thus, disturb synchronization. We tested this by comparing the inter- and intra-subject Pearson correlation coefficients and nonlinear phase synchronization, calculated using instantaneous heart rate data measured while appreciating music. The results demonstrated that inter-subject correlations were consistently lower than intra-subject correlations, regardless of participants’ music preferences and daily moods. These results suggest that music-induced heart rate synchronization depends on the reliability of physiological responses to musical pieces rather than mood or motivation. This study lays the foundation for future empirical research on collective emotions in theater.