MPI Colloquium: Prof. Dr. Anna K. Kuhlen

Title

From Speaking to Interacting: Neurocognitive Perspectives

Abstract

This talk explores language as a collaborative endeavor aimed at achieving common goals. By examining the process of lexical access during language production, I will delve into how this cognitive mechanism is influenced by the presence and actions of a task partner. Joint action theories suggest that partners in a shared task co-represent each other's actions through internal simulations, which are instrumental in predicting and synchronizing with the partner's actions. Evidence for such partner co-representation during verbal joint actions is derived from joint picture naming experiments. These studies indicate that partner co-representation can interfere with own speaking. Nevertheless, recent findings challenge this outcome, showing that a partner's verbal actions may not always be co-represented, especially not at the level of seeking lexical access for the partner. I propose that under certain conditions, task partners rely on the structure of their joint task, distributing components of the task between them to reduce response conflicts and simplify their individual contributions. The latter part of the talk will focus on how lexical access may not only modulated by a partner's actions but also by specific characteristics known about the partner. The talk will conclude with a discussion on the implications of these findings for our understanding of joint action and language production within social interactions.

If you would like to meet with Prof. Dr. Kuhlen, please contact Candice.Frances [at] mpi.nl (Candice[dot]Frances[at]mpi[dot]nl)