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Ryssa Moffat

@ryssamoffat.bsky.social
1.3K followers 2.2K following 116 posts

🧠Social cognition/neuroscience postdoc: ETH Zürich🇨🇭| ⛸️🏄‍♀️synchronized skater + surfer 🔎 ryssamoffat.github.io

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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 25/09/2026
👵🍩👩 Over the last 3 years, I’ve aimed to get a better grasp on how intergenerational friendships form. This week on #TheLastShow, I revealed 2 reasons (1 personal, 1 scientific) that I study intergenerational bonds and some of our most recent findings. Spoiler: 🍩 are involved! 🔊 tinyurl.com/4tkack7
podcasts.apple.com
Brain Waves and Intergenerational Social Bonds
Podcast Episode · The Last Show with David Cooper · September 23 · 10m
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
🧩 This piece by Eric Dolan for @psypost.bsky.social is very thoughtfully put together – I couldn't ask for a more lovely summary of our most recent work! @escross.bsky.social, @introspection.bsky.social, @ethz.ch #fNIRS #neuroscience
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
🧠 One more summary of our super awesome research on intergenerational relationship development! www.eurekalert.org/news-release... @escross.bsky.social, @introspection.bsky.social, @ethz.ch, @cortivision.bsky.social
eurekalert.org
When people of different generations create together, brain activity changes
When people of different generations create art together, their brains show initially show more synchrony, and the synchrony can predict feelings of loneliness or social connection, according to a stu...
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
🗞️ Check out this lovely piece from @ethz.ch about our two most recent studies on intergenerational relationship formation, collaboration, and the brain! ethz.ch/en/news-and-... The research team: escross.bsky.social, introspection.bsky.social, lucanaudszus.bsky.social
linkedin.com
What happens in the brain when two people engage in joint creative activity?
Two ETH Zurich studies found that as younger and older adults grew closer over several weeks, their brain activity did not necessarily become more similar.
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Reposted by Ryssa Moffat
PLOS Biology @plosbiology.org · 24/08/2026
What mechanisms underlie health benefits of social interaction? @ryssamoffat.bsky.social @introspection.bsky.social @escross.bsky.social show that neural synchrony during a creative drawing program decreases in intergenerational dyads & increases in same-generation @plosbiology.org 🧪 plos.io/4gbafyY
An intergenerational dyad draws together. Without prompts and through collaboration, they create shared drawing. While they draw, their brain activity is recorded using mobile sensors and their body movements are tracked using video-based motion capture. Photograph captured by Ryssa Moffat. The participants depicted in this photograph have provided written consent for their likeness to be published alongside open-access online research outputs.
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 24/08/2026
🎊 Our study of 732 individual brain scans from 366 dyadic sessions found a home in @plosbiology.org! ✨ "Social interactions between people of same and different generations shape longitudinal changes in interpersonal neural synchrony, loneliness, and social connection”. ✨ doi.org/10.1371/jour...
doi.org
Social interactions between people of same and different generations shape longitudinal changes in interpersonal neural synchrony, loneliness, and social connection
Loneliness affects health, but physiological mechanisms underlying benefits of intergenerational social interactions remain unclear, particularly how repeated encounters shape neural synchrony. This l...
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 13/08/2026
📢 Big announcement: The InterGenSynchrony Dataset is now published! 🔗 Dataset: openneuro.org/datasets/ds0... 🔗 Dataset descriptor: doi.org/10.64898/202...
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 23/07/2026
💭 Imagine you and I are drawing together. If we took snapshots of the activity in both of our brains at any given moment, would it look similar or not? And what might this say about our respective roles in our interaction? Link to paper: doi.org/10.1016/j.ac...
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 30/06/2026
🧠 🔎 Can we consider brain plasticity during skill learning from new angles? In a new paper, @simonleipold.bsky.social and I propose an approach that puts individual people under the magnifying glass. Link to paper: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
sciencedirect.com
Individual-specific precision neuroimaging of learning-related plasticity
Studying learning-related plasticity is central to understanding the acquisition of complex skills, for example learning to master a musical instrumen…
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
🔬What does the #SocialBrainSciencesLab research? Many, many topics including #SocialNeuroscience, #Aesthetics, #EmbodiedAI and #SocialRobots. 🧠 🤖 We compiled an overview of ongoing projects. If our work inspires you, reach out and say hi! @ethz.ch, @escross.bsky.social, @tanjaulrich.bsky.social
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SINe Lab @sinelabdtu.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
Check out our brilliant PhD student Hanlu He's @hanluhe.bsky.social 1st paper on heart-rate synchrony in real-world urban environments, replicated across 3 datasets recorded in NYC! HR sync is enhanced by social proximity, familiarity, social context, and better acoustic conditions. 🧵👇
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 27/10/2025
🐛 ...🦋 Our #fNIRS research showing that physically matching other people's movements enhances perceptual sensitivity to movement synchrony has transformed from a preprint to a publication in #ImagingNeuroscience. doi.org/10.1162/IMAG... @escross.bsky.social
doi.org
Individual abilities to estimate levels of movement synchrony predict action observation network activation
Abstract. Observers’ ability to estimate levels of movement synchrony, such as in Olympic diving or rowing, is highly variable and, in part, constrained by personality traits and enjoyment of the move...
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 25/10/2025
🫀🖼️🫀What can 732 co-created drawings and heart rates from 61 dyads teach us about intergenerational relationship development and collaboration? doi.org/10.1101/2025... @escross.bsky.social @lucanaudszus.bsky.social
doi.org
Cardiac synchrony remains stable across repeated intergenerational encounters but is enhanced during high stakes collaboration
Intergenerational social programs provide opportunities for people of all ages to form new relationships. Furthermore, existing qualitative and behavioural evidence from such programs points to health...
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 16/10/2025
What happens in the brain as people become less lonely? Intergenerational community programs can reduce loneliness, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. We collected and analysed 732 🧠-scans to find out! www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1... @introspection.bsky.social + @escross.bsky.social
biorxiv.org
Longitudinal intergenerational hyperscanning reveals indices of relationship formation and loneliness
Loneliness is globally acknowledged as a severe and burgeoning health risk, fuelling interest in helping people of all ages form meaningful social connections. One promising approach consists of inter...
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 02/06/2025
Picture this: 👀 Two synchronised divers somersault off a tower. 👁️ You notice that one diver is rotating a little slower. How did you notice this? In our newest 🧠 research, we found that: osf.io/preprints/ps...
Person wearing neuroimaging sensors and matching another person's movements.
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
Ever wondered why people-watching is so enjoyable? Is watching a single person different than watching a small group? Check out @andreaorlandi.bsky.social‘s awesome review for a deep dive into the aesthetics of humans movements 💃💃💃
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 23/04/2025
✨ ✏️ The final meerkat sketches are ready! Straight from the Open Science Retreat #OSR25 in 🇨🇭 1/8
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 17/04/2025
Sketching meerkats wasn’t on the list of activities I expected from this Open Science Retreat. But meerkats are social creatures and open science is all about community! 👀 Keep an eye out for our meerkats and other exciting resources for people who spead the good ( #openscience ) word! #OSR2025
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Reposted by Ryssa Moffat
Digital Research Academy @digiresacademy.bsky.social · 15/04/2025
This group at the Open Science Retreat is creating a game similar to Family Feud called "Survey says: Open Science" Help needed: Fill in the blanks in the following 12 statements about Open Science to help the group get 100 answers: buff.ly/WTtpZCA We will play it tomorrow! #OSR25CH #OpenScience
Logo of the game "Survey Says: Open Science!"4 people sitting around a table. Laptops and playing cards on the table.
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Reposted by Ryssa Moffat
Emily S. Cross @escross.bsky.social · 22/03/2025
💃🧠 Psyched to share my latest paper in Neuron on the past, present and future of dance neuroscience research! Crazy to think where this field will be in 20 more years 🚀 authors.elsevier.com/a/1kkh3_KOmx... #PsychSciSky #neuroskyence #Dance #CognitiveNeuroscience #Neuroaesthetics #BrainScience
authors.elsevier.com
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 07/02/2025
🧑‍🎨🤖📚 We invited children with different reading levels to design their own reading robot companions – and what did we learn? New preprint: “It’ll cheer you on!” Children with and without reading difficulty value robot reading companions that are smart, supportive, and personal osf.io/preprints/ps...
Children's drawings of reading robots
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 06/12/2024
🌟 My science highlight of 2024: My first foray into #communitybased science. From Nov '23 to June '24, we collected an amazing data set with the help of 122 of #Zurich's finest young adults and senior citizens.
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Ellen Roche @ellroche.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
In real time, as I scour our new #fnirs #neuralsynchrony paper for typos, the preprint is out! Synchrony indeed. Hats off to the DevCogNeuro team for speedy mgmt and our *genuinely* helpful reviewers! Grateful to @rachelromeo.bsky.social & Elizabeth Redcay & families who inspired us! #fnirshyper 🧠🔦
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
🔎 Ever sorted through 1464 pieces of art to find 61 pieces for a show? Today, Medea Häuselmann and I selected one jointly-drawn piece per participant pair that completed our #longitudinal study on #intergenerational relationship development.
Person sorting papers with drawings on them.
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 28/11/2024
An exciting joint-PhD opportunity! Focus: language and 🧠 As an alumnus, would recommend and I’m happy to answer questions. P.s. this is how I got into #fNIRS!
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 27/11/2024
👋 #EarlyCareerResearchers, interested in a writing a conversational piece on your favourite #psychology/ #neuroskyence topic? I highly recommend throwing your 🎩 in the ring! Instructions for journal club pieces at the bottom of the @natrevpsych.bsky.social webpage: www.nature.com/nrpsychol/co...
nature.com
Content Types | Nature Reviews Psychology
Content Types
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Regular icy dips sure do keep the scientific inspiration flowing☀️❄️ 🙏 @tanjaulrich.bsky.social + @escross.bsky.social for the company!
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
👶🏼 + #fNIRS 🧠🔦
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 21/11/2024
🇨🇦 labs using #fNIRS 🧠🔦 for fun stuff? 👀🤸
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
#fNIRS 🧠🔦 preprint
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
#fNIRS 🧠🔦 preprint
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
#fNIRS 🧠🔦 preprint
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
#fNIRS 🧠🔦 plus so much more
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
What’s invisible and makes social interactions sweeter 🍬? … it’s interpersonal #synchrony! Check out this bite-size piece I wrote on matching rhythms in body movements 🤸🤸‍♀️ and brain activity 🧠🔁🧠: rdcu.be/dxDDL
rdcu.be
Invisible mechanisms of interpersonal alignment
Nature Reviews Psychology - Invisible mechanisms of interpersonal alignment
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Here’s an #fNIRS 🧠🔦 starterpack. Let’s fill it! go.bsky.app/TR9ubFQ
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
🎈 In #Zurich with no plans for tomorrow evening? Why not learn to make fancy figures using #RStudio and #ggplot2? 📈 Join me at the #R-Ladies workshop (open to everyone)! www.meetup.com/rladies-zuri... 📍 @ethzurich.bsky.social + University of Zurich #PhDSkills #researchproductivity #WomeninSTEM
meetup.com
Visualising data with ggplot2 – Preparing figures for publication and outreach, Do., 14. Nov. 2024, 18:30 | Meetup
The visualisations we use to present our findings matter as much as the text, if not more. We will walk through the steps to create beautiful figures that can make posters,
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Ryssa Moffat @ryssamoffat.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
👋 Feels like the right moment for an introduction: As a postdoc #ETHZurich🇨🇭, I gravitate towards questions about intergenerational social interactions (👵🧠 + 👧🧠), movement #aesthetics + interpersonal #synchrony. 💙 real-world, multimodal methods like #fNIRS and #mocap. #TeamSBS Social Brain Sciences
Two experimental participants drawing a picture together while their brain activity is measured. Motion tracking skeletons are overlayed on the picture showing their body posture.
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