An fMRI hyperscanning dataset on cooperation and competition during strategic interactions

Hyperscanning has emerged as a prominent technique in social neuroscience, enabling the simultaneous recording of neural activity from multiple individuals engaged in interactive tasks. Despite its potential, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) hyperscanning remains underutilized due to technical and logistical challenges in synchronizing data across scanners. To address these barriers, we developed an internet-based fMRI hyperscanning platform in southern Taiwan, enabling synchronized acquisition between two sites located 305 km apart. The present study involving 33 dyads examined social and economic decision-making tasks under cooperative and competitive conditions, using a Sender-Receiver paradigm where monetary outcomes hinged on the Receiver's choices and their alignment with the Sender's suggestions. This design elucidated neural mechanisms underlying cooperation, competition, deception, and strategic interactions. The resulting dataset enables analyses of neural synchrony, temporal dynamics of functional connectivity, and condition-specific network interactions. By introducing a novel methodological framework, this work provides a valuable dataset to advance research on social decision-making and interactive neural processes.