Language Evolution: Gestures, Vocalization, or Both?

Aren’t you curious to know how our language evolved into the exact form we use today? 

Among the prominent theories to explain the origins of language are: the Gesture-First Theory and the Vocal-First Theory. The Gesture-Firt Theory suggests that our language began as bodily gestures, and spoken languages became dominant over the course of language evolution. The Vocal-First Theory, in contrast, argues that language has been predominantly based on vocalization from its advent (see Kanero, 2014). Both theories have always remained speculative due to the lack of direct evidence. However, a recent study by Fay et al. (2022) employed an experiment task to compare the effectiveness of gestures and vocal communication in achieving communicative success, significantly contributing to the discussion. While their findings suggest that gestures the Gesture-First Theory, we speculate that these results may have been influenced by the characteristics of the task used. Consequently, we decided to replicate and extend their study to gain a more comprehensive understanding.

For this Spring term, we plan to conduct a stimuli selection study and a pilot study to evaluate the feasibility of our experimental setup in comparing these two theories. Students will be closely working with the supervisor and graduate students and be responsible for various aspects of research such as theoretical and methodological discussions, conducting experiments, and coding data. In addition to demonstrating their knowledge of research methods into practice, students will take a leading and active role in recruiting and communicating with participants.

Students must be able to work for the duration of the PURE Project (or beyond) though they can take turns to have their time off. 

How do I apply?
If you are interested in this project, in addition to applying through the PURE system (due January 15, 2025), we also require you to complete our original application on Qualtrics from here, by 23:59 on January 13, 2025, two days earlier than the PURE deadline. 

Required qualifications: 

• interest in psychology, linguistics, cultural studies, and cognitive science
• intellectual curiosity and the ability to learn new skills and knowledge independently
• open to new experiences and able to adapt to new and/or changing circumstances
• highly comfortable in social interactions and will take an active role in participant recruitment and communication
• team player who is not afraid to ask for help, can take feedback, and is eager to help others
• moderate to advanced communication skills in English

Desirable but not required qualifications:

• research experience in online and in-person psychological experiments
• experience in digital design and social media management
• programming skills in Python and/or other languages
• excellent communication skills in Turkish

Feel free to contact us at cansu.ozden@sabanciuniv.edu if you have questions. We look forward to seeing your applications!