Beyond blobology: Using psychophysiological interaction analyses to investigate the neural basis of human communication phenomena

Abstract

Huskey shows how rapid advances in brain-imaging technologies have allowed for the systematic investigation of the mind/brain and researchers are increasingly utilizing these methods to examine the neural basis of human communication behavior. The chapter introduces communication scholars interested in conducting functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) investigations to psychophysiological interaction analyses (PPI). Huskey discusses the methodological particulars associated with using a PPI analysis to test the synchronization theory of flow before concluding with a broader outlook on applications to communication theory and research. Specifically, the chapter discusses how investigations of neural connectivity can be used for theoretical falsification, conceptual refinement, and distinguishing constructs that have similar phenomenological characteristics and behavioral outcomes.