Missions

Postdoctoral research position of 30 months available at the CNRS (Laboratoire Parole et Langage at Aix-Marseille University - https://www.lpl-aix.fr/en/welcome-to-lpl/) under the framework of the ERC (European Research Council) awarded project 'LaDy' (Language in the Dyad - https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/101171291), and under the supervision of CNRS researcher Kristof Strijkers (https://cv.hal.science/kristof-strijkers).


The postdoctoral researcher will perform experimental research to assess the possible link between linguistic alignment (i.e., tendency of interlocutors to copy each other's language use) and neural alignment (i.e., correlated brain activity between listeners and speakers). Experiments involve combining psycholinguistic tasks and manipulations in the dyad with the simultaneous recording of EEG activity (EEG hyperscanning). The objective is to see whether we can observe neural alignment at the level of specific linguistic representations such as semantics, syntax and phonology, and whether prediction serves as a key mechanism behind linguistic and neural alignment alike. In this manner, this research attempts to establish a link between language behavior and interacting brains.

Beyond the postdoctoral's main task of running several of such EEG hyperscanning experiments on language in the dyad (from conception to analyses and dissemination), the recruited postdoctoral researcher will also be involved in the supervision of doctoral and master students working on this project.

Activités

- Setting up EEG hyperscanning experiments on linguistic alignment
- Data collection and analyses
- Dissemination including the writing of articles and presentations at conferences and workshops
- Aiding in the supervision of PhD and MA students

Compétences

- Knowledge of psycholinguistics
- Knowledge of neurolinguistics
- Knowledge for analyzing EEG data (ERPs, time-frequency and oscillatory dynamics)
- Prior experience with hyperscanning is a serious plus
- Knowledge on how to set-up language experiments

Contexte de travail

Current research in linguistics, psychology, and neuroscience predominantly focuses on the individual, neglecting the dynamic interplay between interlocutors as the primary form of communication. This project aims to address this limitation by investigating language and the brain in their most functional context, the dyad. The objective is to connect the cognitive mechanisms of dialogue with the neurophysiology of interacting brains.

The central theme of this project is the concept of alignment, since it is observed in both behaviour and brain activity. Linguistic alignment concerns the convergence of language use between interlocutors. Neural alignment refers to correlated brain activity between speakers and listeners. While tempting to assume both phenomena are related, at present this is an open question. This project sets out to investigate whether neural alignment is the brain's signature of linguistic alignment, and whether prediction is the mechanism that can link neural and linguistic alignment.

To achieve these objectives, the project employs a novel paradigm combining EEG hyper-scanning with interactive dyadic language games. Preliminary results highlight the feasibility of this novel paradigm to assess interactive naming behaviour. Using this approach, three work packages will explore (1) neural alignment for basic linguistic components, (2) the impact of prediction on alignment, and (3) the emergence of neural alignment in spontaneous linguistic interactions.

This interdisciplinary proposal has ground-breaking potential: If successful, the project will significantly advance our understanding of language in interaction, shed light on the role of prediction in the dyad, and provide a brain basis for models of dialogue and conversation. In sum, this comprehensive approach seeks to unravel the intricate connections between neural and linguistic alignment while exploring the role of prediction as a fundamental driver of these phenomena.