Description du sujet de thèse

The doctoral student 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.

During this PhD the doctoral student will become competent with psycho- and neurolinguistic theory, in particular related to alignment in conversation. The PhD student will also become fluent in the analyses of EEG data, including ERP analyses, time-frequency analyses and connectivity analyses (oscillations), with a special emphasis on the analyses of hyperscanning data.
Doctoral research position of 36 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).

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.
- Having an MA in any of the relevant disciplines (linguistics, psychology, neuroscience)
- Knowledge of basic toolboxes and programming to set up experiments
- Some prior knowledge of psycholingusitics and/or neurolinguistics is a serious plus
- Some prior knowledge on data collection and/or analyses of EEG data is a serious plus