Archive For The “Uncategorized” Category
Next week, Christine Caldwell will be visiting from Stirling. Christine has been a pioneer in using techniques from experimental psychology to study cultural evolution in the lab, and has recently been exploring the evolution of communication through cultural transmission. “Adaptiveness and arbitrariness in human cultural evolution”, Christine Caldwell Tuesday 26th July, 11-12.30, DSB 1.17 We’ll [...]
Chrissy Cuskley‘s research concerns the way in which cross-modal connections that we all share might have provided a starting point for the evolution of language by giving a non-arbitrary basis for the eventual evolution of symbols. Her experimental work looking at the connections between various senses and linguistic stimuli is featured on the cover of [...]
Demonstrating what a fast-moving field we work in, I’m once again having to change the schedule for our LEC talks. Sorry! Next Tuesday, Sean will tell us about his trip to Santa Fe: “What can complex systems science tell us about language evolution?” Sean Roberts Abstract: I’ve spent a month at the Santa Fe Institute [...]
This week, we’ll also have an LEC talk in our usual slot: 11-12.30 Tuesday in 1.17 DSB. Nic Fay will be giving the second part of a talk about his work covering new directions and some of the plans for work he will be developing here. The evolution of human communication systems I’ll present evidence [...]
We’re having a special LEC talk tomorrow (Monday) at 2.00-3.30 in 1.17 DSB from Amy Perfors who is visiting for the day: Language evolution is shaped by the structure of the world: An iterated learning analysis Human languages vary in many ways, but also show striking cross-linguistic universals. Why do these universals exist? Recent theoretical [...]
Our next LEC talk will be from Barbora Skarabela: “Systematicity in language evolution: Does the degree of input structure influence language learning?” Tuesday 28th, 11-12.30, DSB 1.17 Cheers, Simon
Professor Simon Kirby delivered his inaugural lecture entitled “The Language Organism: evolution, culture, and what it means to be human” on 22 March 2011. It is now available to watch online. Abstract: Our species can do something utterly unique in the natural world – a behaviour so transformative that it has reshaped the mechanisms of [...]
Another accolade has come Thom’s way. He’s been named as one of two joint winners of the British Psychological Society’s Award for Outstanding Doctoral Research Contributions to Psychology. More details: here. Well done Thom!
Nic Fay is visiting us from UWA for 6 months, and will be giving a couple of LEC talks to introduce his work. The first of these is next week on Tuesday 14th from 11-12.30 in DSB 1.17. Details below: Title: Evolution of human communication systems In this talk I will present evidence (mostly experimental) [...]
We’re delighted to be welcoming Nic Fay as a 6 month visitor to the LEC from Monday 6th June! Nic is Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Western Australia, and an expert in experimental approaches to the evolution of communication, and has a great influence on the work of the LEC. This is [...]