Gesture Production and Perception: Movement or Representation

In my dissertation work, I am investigating the role of movement and awareness in producers and perceivers working memory performance with respect to gesture.

Forcing gesture

Co-Investigators: Susan Goldin-Meadow, Zac Mitchell

This ongoing set of studies investigates of the effect of gesture production on learning. Past research have revealed that gesture production can index cognitive change. In this study we are investigating whether gesture might be causally related to change, by manipulating children's speech and gesture production, and assessing the effect of this manipulation on learning.

Neural correlates of gesture observation

Co-Investigators: Susan Goldin-Meadow, Howard Nusbaum, Steven Small, Linda Whealton Suriyakham

This study is an investigation into the neural correlates of gesture observation. Most research on human language processing have focused on spoken language. Yet, because human language emerged in the context of face-to-face interaction, it is likely that the brain utilized all aspects of the communicative signal, not just the information in the verbal channel. In this study, we are using fMRI to examine the effects of varying types of gesture on obervers' brain activity.

Gesture and the Subject Performed Task (SPT)

Co-Investigators: Terina Yip, Susan Goldin-Meadow

This study is an investigation into the effect of gesture production and perception on individuals memory for events.

Send me an email: swagner@uchicago.edu.