Mediating Interpersonal Synchronization in Children through a Full-Body Mixed Reality System: Analysis of the Pre-Interactive Mandala Experience

Interpersonal entrainment (IPE), motor synchronization to a common rhythm, can be used to strengthen the ability to communicate and coordinate actions between citizens. Different studies show how children's and adults’ behaviors changed positively by increasing their cooperation, helpfulness, and affiliation levels after performing activities in synchrony. However, those activities are often affected by the mediation of a researcher. This problem can be addressed by using new technologies such as mixed reality (MR) full-body systems. The aim of this study was to develop a playful MR pre-interactive (noninteractive visual/auditory cues) experience, the Mandala, to promote IPE. Sixty-six children were presented, in groups of four, with one of the conditions: async movements and ambient music (control) or sync movements accompanied by rhythmic (experimental 1) or ambient music (experimental 2). We analyzed the children's ability to follow the visual elements well (temporal pattern and precision), the good use of the interactive object, and their level of synchrony. The results show how the children followed the visual pattern well and accurately, used the interactive object as proposed, and achieved high levels of synchrony. We provided initial insights on how full-body MR systems can be used to promote IPE without an external facilitator.