PLEASE NOTE THAT THE TALK WILL BE IN THE AUDITORIUM (NADOR U. 9)!!!

The CEU Department of Cognitive Science and the Social Mind Center cordially invites you to its talk by

Bruno Galantucci (Yeshiva University & Haskins Laboratories) http://www.haskins.yale.edu/staff/galantucci.html

Date: Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 17:00-18:30

Host: Natalie Sebanz  

Location: CEU Auditorium, Nador u. 9. (Do not forget to bring your CEU ID, otherwise, you have to register at the entrance!) 

The development of sophisticated forms of communication in humans

One of the hallmarks of our species is that we develop sophisticated forms of communication. However, there is growing evidence that we exhibit important limitations when we are asked to perform tasks that require communicative sophistication. I will illustrate some of this evidence, which comes in part from research on the emergence of novel communication systems in the laboratory and in part from research on the use of natural language. Then I will focus on the question of how individuals who have limited communicative skills manage to develop sophisticated forms of communication.

I propose three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses to address the question. The first hypothesis is that communicative sophistication does not originate from sophisticated individuals but emerges in the public arena, as the result of a cultural ratchet effect. The second is that there may be great variability in communicative skills within the human population and that the development of sophisticated forms of communication may be driven by a minority of exceptional communicators. The third hypothesis turns the question on its head, suggesting that human communication may often be much less sophisticated than we think.

I will present various kinds of evidence supporting the second and the third hypotheses and argue that the latter can help us reduce the conceptual gap between the study of human communication and the study of other forms of coordination in humans and animals.

We are looking forward to see you at the talk!

Cognitive Science Events at CEU: http://cognitivescience.ceu.hu/events

Social Mind Center Events at CEU: http://socialmind.ceu.edu/events