A Window into the Social Brain: How Collective Rituals Shape Neural Connection
Introduction
We often think of contemplative practices as solitary experiences like meditating alone, practicing mindfulness, or silently reflecting. But across the world, many of these practices are shared. Whether it’s prayer circles, religious gatherings, or even large-scale concerts or sports events, collective rituals can have profound effects on the brain and the body (Paez, 2015; Hagerty, 2013). Researchers are only beginning to understand the mechanisms behind these effects and what they can tell us about human connection, neuroplasticity, and well-being (Davidson, 2012; Bhugra, 2024).
In response to the global challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Bitbrain partnered with Tobii and Psychology Software Tools in 2020 to launch a special research grant. Valued at €170,000 in cutting-edge technology, the program was designed to support exceptional research proposals focused on human behaviour and brain-computer interface studies. Starting in 2021, the initiative provided two years of resources to help advance scientific inquiry during a time of disruption. Its goal was to give back to the research community and encourage innovative, applied science during a period of recovery and adaptation.
Almudena Robledo, Product Manager at Bitbrain, interviews Dr. Michael Lifshitz and Jonas Mago
For the second post of our new “In the Lab” section, I sat down for a transatlantic interview with Dr. Michael Lifshitz and Jonas Mago, who are taking on fascinating research on the neuroscience of collective ritual. Dr. Lifshitz, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at McGill University and the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal, is one of the recipients of Bitbrain’s research grant for the project “Practicing Plasticity: How Collective Rituals Promote Neurocognitive Flexibility.” For this study, he collaborated with cognitive neuroscientist and doctoral researcher Jonas Mago. As winners of the initiative, they were awarded two wearable water-based Bitbrain EEG caps (Versatile EEG 32/16 channel) and two mobile biosignal devices (Versatile Bio). Their work explores the rich intersection of neuroscience, phenomenology, and contemplative science, offering new perspectives on how shared practices shape the brain, body, and mind.
Bitbrain water-based EEG headset, Versatile
Bitbrain biosignal acquisition amplifier, Versatile Bio
What Are Collective Rituals and How Do They Influence Brain Activity?
An introduction to collective rituals and how they influence brain activity
Dr. Lifshitz describes collective rituals as shared practices such as praying, dancing, going to a hockey game, or engaging in activities that create powerful shared emotions. These rituals occur in different forms across cultures and are central to many aspects of human life. During these events, people often feel deeply connected, creating a shared emotional experience.
This idea was described back in 1912 by sociologist Émile Durkheim, who called it “collective effervescence”, a feeling of unity and emotional intensity we experience during group rituals or gatherings (Durkheim, 1912/1995; Xygalatas, 2011).
Today, researchers like Dr. Lifshitz and Jonas Mago are exploring these experiences scientifically, contributing to a growing area of research called hyperscanning, which involves recording multiple people at once using EEG and other physiological measures. Through their studies, scientists are beginning to identify brain and body patterns that occur during collective rituals, helping us better understand the experiences we all recognize from engaging in powerful shared activities (Czeszumski, 2020).
For their study, the researchers focused on two practices: evangelical Christian prayer (specifically, speaking in tongues) and a type of Buddhist meditation known as Jhana meditation. They are currently investigating the phenomenology of these rituals (Brahinsky, 2024) and how they influence brain activity and physiological responses.
The Neuroscience of Flexibility: Entropy and Collective Brain States
Jonas Mago, who led much of the fieldwork, elaborates on the neuroscience behind these rituals. A central concept in their research is entropy, a measure of how flexible and unpredictable brain activity is. Borrowed from psychedelic science, increased entropy in the brain is associated with less rigid thought patterns or a neurophysiological loosening, allowing for greater openness and creativity (Carhart-Harris, 2014; Carhart-Harris 2018).
Interestingly, Jonas and Michael observed similar increases in brain entropy during the deep ritual practices they are studying. Their preliminary results suggest that spiritual states might involve a comparable loosening of neural activity, as seen in psychedelic experiences.
These early insights point toward a shared neural mechanism between ritual-induced states and other expanded states of consciousness, offering a potential physiological explanation for why these collective rituals can feel so powerful and transformative.
The Social Container: How Culture and Context Shape the Brain
Lifshitz and Mago reflect on brain entropy, cultural influence, and the role of social context in shaping mental flexibility
But increased entropy is only part of the story. Lifshitz and Mago emphasize that what shapes the outcome of these flexible brain states is the context around them or the social and cultural frameworks in which they take place.
Dr. Lifshitz explains this with a simple metaphor: if entropy makes the brain more liquid, what really matters is the container that holds it. Without structure, flexibility can become disorienting. In clinical contexts, too much entropy or too little stability can resemble conditions like psychosis or trauma, where the sense of self becomes fragmented (Hernández, 2023).
This is where rituals, communities, belief systems, and shared intentions come in. These elements serve as containers, helping guide and give meaning to the openness that high-entropy states can bring. The researchers are especially interested in how collective rituals provide a supportive framework that not only enables these flexible states, but helps participants make sense of them and integrate them in lasting, constructive ways.
Their work also highlights an important point: even when rituals like speaking in tongues and Jhana meditation look different on the outside, the internal mechanisms and subjective experiences often show surprising similarities (Brahinsky, 2024).
From Lab to Church: A Mobile, Multimodal Approach on EEG Research
Jonas explains the methods used to record brain and body signals during collective practices like prayer and meditation
Unlike traditional EEG studies conducted in shielded labs, this project brought neuroscience into real-world settings like churches, retreat centers, and even outdoor environments. Using Bitbrain’s portable EEG device “Versatile” and Versatile Bio for physiological signals, the team collected multimodal data including brain activity, respiration, heart rate, video, and audio.
They worked with pairs of participants (church goers and meditation practitioners) who engaged in their usual rituals while being recorded. Each participant was fitted with a semi-dry EEG cap, respiration belts, ECG electrodes, and synchronized audiovisual recording tools. In some sessions, the team also included evoked potential stimuli, such as auditory tones or visual flashes, to capture real-time responses to external cues.
Instead of isolating participants in lab conditions, the researchers aimed to preserve the authentic context of each practice. Sitting quietly nearby, they observed as participants entered these meaningful and personal states.
By combining these tools, the team was able to measure neural, physiological, and behavioral synchrony between the practicing individuals. This approach opens a new window into how collective rituals shape shared states of mind and body.
Personal reflections from the field
Personal reflections on how the project connected contemplative practice with neuroscience and inspired new scientific questions
For both researchers, this project has blurred the line between scientific work and personal growth.
Jonas Mago, who has long practiced meditation, shared how this research allowed him to bring together two parts of his life that had long felt separate: spiritual practice and academic work. With the use of mobile neurotechnology, he found a way to study the kinds of experiences that had shaped him personally within the settings where they naturally occur.
Dr. Lifshitz adds that bringing EEG equipment into churches, retreat centers, and community spaces changed not only how the researchers approached the study, but also how participants engaged with it. The presence of neuroscience tools didn’t disrupt the practice, instead, it sparked curiosity and created a sense of validation. The project affirmed that these practices and experiences are worthy of scientific attention.
“It emboldened me,” Lifshitz says, “to actually ask the questions that I'm really excited about, questions that sometimes feel hard to ask scientifically.”
This merging of method and meaning speaks to the broader impact of the project. It’s not just about what happens in the brain and body during ritual, but about how we can study these states in a way that respects and preserves their authentic context.
Conclusion
Lifshitz and Mago’s work opens new doors for neuroscience, shifting focus from isolated lab settings to the shared spaces where people gather, practice, and transform together. By exploring neurocognitive flexibility through collective rituals, their research offers deeper insight into how our brains respond to connection, context, and community. To hear more from the researchers and explore their full study, check out the full interview.
About the Author
Almudena Robledo is a health biologist and neuroscientist specializing in sleep and neurotechnology. Her research experience spans from animal studies on autism to digital therapies for Alzheimer's disease. Currently, she works as a Product Manager at Bitbrain, contributing to the development of innovative neurotechnology solutions created by researchers for researchers.
References
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Brahinsky, J., Mago, J., Miller, M., Catherine, S., & Lifshitz, M. (2024). The spiral of attention, arousal, and release: A comparative phenomenology of Jhāna meditation and speaking in tongues. American Journal of Human Biology, 36(12), e24189. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.24189
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Hernández, R. M., Ponce-Meza, J. C., Saavedra-López, M. Á., Campos Ugaz, W. A., Chanduvi, R. M., & Monteza, W. C. (2023). Brain complexity and psychiatric disorders. Iranian Journal of Psychiatry, 18(4), 493–502. https://doi.org/10.18502/ijps.v18i4.13637
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Xygalatas, D., Konvalinka, I., Bulbulia, J., & Roepstorff, A. (2011). Quantifying collective effervescence: Heart-rate dynamics at a fire-walking ritual. Communicative & Integrative Biology, 4(6), 735–738. https://doi.org/10.4161/cib.17609