MEG Data

The human brain exhibits coordinated information processing among brain regions, resembling units in social organisations. Understanding how these brain regions operate and collaborate is a scientific question with great importance and challenge. This study draws an analogy between brain regions and social organisations and explores whether the brain operates in a decentralized or centralized mode by employing a social interaction perception task. We utilized magnetoencephalography technology to analyze the dynamic processes involved in perceiving the social interactions of others. Our findings reveal that the brain strikes a balance between centralized and decentralized modes. When confronted with information of low ambiguity, the brain leaned towards decentralized decision-making, showcasing a decentralized mode. In high-ambiguity conditions, the superior temporal sulcus takes on a dominant role, indicating a more centralized control mechanism. Our findings indicate adaptive decision-making processes in the human brain, tactically shifting between centralized and decentralized strategies to enhance information processing efficiency.