Attending pop concerts and similar events may offer significant benefits for brain health and social connection, according to a neuroscientist. The experience of being part of a large crowd, singing and swaying together, can lead to a state described as 'collective effervescence'.
This phenomenon, originally coined by a 19th-century sociologist, involves individuals being swept up into a communal intensity, which can help restore social bonds. The neuroscientist notes that such experiences may reduce activity in the brain's 'default mode network' (DMN), a circuit involved in planning and self-talk. Too much DMN activity can be draining, and difficulty switching out of this mode is observed in those with depression.
Synchronised dancing, a common element of concerts, is also suggested to boost social closeness and even increase cooperation among different groups. The neuroscientist proposes that spaces fostering collective belonging, like dancefloors and festivals, could be viewed as public health assets, offering something that digital platforms cannot replicate.