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Cited by 63Neurobiology of Language and BilingualismLanguage, Discourse, Communication StrategiesAction Observation and Synchronization

Oscillatory Brain Responses Reflect Anticipation during Comprehension of Speech Acts in Spoken Dialog

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Gisladottir, Rosa S., Bögels, Sara, Levinson, Stephen C.·2018·Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
DOI 10.3389/fnhum.2018.00034PMC PMC5808328
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Abstract

, from the underspecified linguistic code and prepare a relevant response within the tight time constraints of turn-taking. The goal of this study was to determine the time-course of speech act recognition by investigating oscillatory EEG activity during comprehension of spoken dialog. Participants listened to short, spoken dialogs with target utterances that delivered three distinct speech acts (Answers, Declinations, Pre-offers). The targets were identical across conditions at lexico-syntactic and phonetic/prosodic levels but differed in the pragmatic interpretation of the speech act performed. Speech act comprehension was associated with reduced power in the alpha/beta bands just prior to Declination speech acts, relative to Answers and Pre-offers. In addition, we observed reduced power in the theta band during the beginning of Declinations, relative to Answers. Based on the role of alpha and beta desynchronization in anticipatory processes, the results are taken to indicate that anticipation plays a role in speech act recognition. Anticipation of speech acts could be critical for efficient turn-taking, allowing interactants to quickly recognize speech acts and respond within the tight time frame characteristic of conversation. The results show that anticipatory processes can be triggered by the characteristics of the interaction, including the speech act type.

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  • Listeners can rapidly infer the speech act of utterances.

    “there are studies showing specifically that listeners can rapidly infer the speech act of utterances”

    From Timing in Conversation (2023) · cites this paper as Gisladottir, Bögels, & Levinson, 2018

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Authors
Gisladottir, R. S., Bögels, S., & Levinson, S. C.
Affiliations
Radboud University Nijmegen (NL)
ORCID
Venue
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
Publisher
Frontiers Media SA
Published
2018-02-07
Volume
12
Pages
34-34
ISSN
1662-5161 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3389/fnhum.2018.00034
PMC
PMC5808328
OpenAlex
W2789129743
Cited by
63
References
63
Citations by year
2026: 5 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2012: 1
FWCI
3.13
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Frontiers in Human Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion)
  • Radboud Repository (Radboud University) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
Funders
  • Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (INTERACT #269484)
  • European Research Council
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neurobiology of Language and Bilingualism
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Language and Linguistics › Language, Discourse, Communication Strategies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Action Observation and Synchronization
Keywords
speech act recognition, anticipation, spoken dialogue, turn-taking, theta band, pragmatic interpretation, conversation comprehension, EEG

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