Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 3, 2026

The HoneyComb Paradigm for Research on Collective Human Behavior
Published on: January 19, 2019
Environmental constraints shaping constituent order in emerging communication systems: Structural iconicity,
Peer Christensen1, Riccardo Fusaroli2, Kristian Tylén2
1Centre for Languages and Literature, Lund University, Helgonabacken 12, 221 00 Lund, Sweden; The Interacting Minds Centre, Aarhus University, Jens Chr. Skous Vej 4, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
Syntactic patterns in gesture arise from external factors, not just cognitive biases. Environmental and social influences like iconicity, alignment, and event frequency shape constituent order in emerging communication systems.
Area of Science:
- Linguistics
- Cognitive Science
- Evolutionary Anthropology
Background:
- Linguistic structure origins are debated, with cognitive biases vs. external factors proposed.
- Previous studies suggest cognitive biases influence gesture production and transmission of constituent order.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate external environmental and social-interactional constraints on syntactic patterns in gestural communication.
- Explore motivations for constituent order in emerging gestural systems.
Main Methods:
- Three experiments systematically analyzed gestural communication of simple transitive events.
- Manipulated event types (manipulation vs. construction) and social dynamics (interactive alignment).
- Examined the influence of referent event type frequency on constituent order stabilization.
Main Results:
- Different event types (manipulation, construction) elicited distinct constituent orders (SOV, SVO), supporting structural iconicity.
- Interactive alignment (re-using interlocutor's order) influenced constituent order choice, potentially overriding iconicity.
- Relative frequency of event types motivated the conventionalization of specific constituent orders.
Conclusions:
- Constituent order in emerging gestural systems is shaped by multiple external factors.
- Structural iconicity, interactive alignment, and distributional frequency are key drivers.
- Syntactic patterns are motivated by environmental and social constraints, not solely cognitive biases.
More Related Videos
05:35Experience is Instrumental in Tuning a Link Between Language and Cognition: Evidence from 6- to 7- Month-Old Infants' Object Categorization
Published on: April 19, 2017
08:32Examining Online Syntactic Processing of Spoken Complex Sentences in Chinese Using Dual-Modal Interference Tasks
Published on: September 5, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Impact of Social Context on Individuals
Conformity
Social Foundations of Self IV: Self in Digital Communication
Design Example
Barriers to Effective Communication I
Communication barriers include the following:
Physiological barriers: They are limitations caused by a person's health condition or disability, such as hearing loss, poor eyesight, illness, or unconsciousness. An example to overcome this...
Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences