Music and Pro-sociality Volume II

Music perception research bridges the gap between sensory neuroscience and the study of complex social behaviours. Recent advances have highlighted that music, as a structured auditory stimulus, is encoded through intricate perceptual pathways and has far-reaching effects on cognitive, emotional, and motivational systems. Although the neural underpinnings of basic sensory processing are well charted, how these processes translate into higher-order social behaviours, such as altruism and cooperation, remains an open question in neuroscience and psychology. Landmark studies utilizing neuroimaging, electrophysiology, and genetics have charted the engagement of reward and affective systems in response to music, suggesting a neurobiological foundation for social biases and group bonding. However, the detailed mechanisms and inter-individual variability underlying music’s ability to evoke prosocial responses are still poorly understood, particularly across different populations, developmental stages, and species.This Research Topic aims to unravel the specific mechanisms by which music perception is translated into prosocial and altruistic behaviour. We seek to take an integrative approach, focusing on the perceptual encoding and neural representation of musical features (such as rhythm, harmony, and timbre), and investigating how these processes interface with emotional and reward systems to influence social cognition and behaviour. We encourage research that systematically examines causal links, explores individual differences, and tests how perceptual and cognitive processes are modulated by genetics, neurochemistry, or brain stimulation. This Topic also welcomes comparative research spanning both human and non-human models to elucidate evolutionary implications and broader functions of music in social contexts.The scope of this Research Topic is centred on the neurobiological mechanisms underlying music perception and its connection to prosocial outcomes, with a strong emphasis on sensory, perceptual, and recognition processes. Contributions may leverage a variety of methodologies and populations but must address the perceptual-to-behavioural pathway. To gather further insights into these dynamics, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:- Neural encoding of musical features and their relation to social behaviour- Cognitive, affective, and reward systems in music perception and prosociality- Methodological advances in imaging, electrophysiology, and psychophysics for studying music and social cognition- Inter-individual, developmental, and cross-species differences in perceptual-social coupling- Effects of genetics, neuropharmacology, and brain stimulation on music-driven social behaviour- Computational and machine learning models of auditory perception and prosocial decision-making Topic editors: Kumiko Toyoshima, Yuko Okamoto Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/79901/music-and-pro-sociality-volume-ii