Iconicity Gives Communicators a Head-Start, Even if Only the Producer Experiences It

Area of Science:

• Linguistics
• Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Iconicity, the resemblance between a signal and its referent, is increasingly recognized as a widespread linguistic phenomenon.
• It plays a crucial role in the development of new referring expressions and the emergence of novel communication systems.
• The benefits of iconicity have traditionally been attributed to signal transparency for the receiver, aiding comprehension.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate potential producer-side advantages of iconicity in communication, distinct from receiver-based comprehension benefits.
• To explore whether iconicity can enhance communication efficiency even when the receiver cannot perceive the iconic signal.

Main Methods:

• Utilized an experimental referential communication game involving dyads.
• Employed a novel signaling medium for participants to communicate about fruits and vegetables.
• Manipulated iconicity generation by producers and signal perception (iconic vs. arbitrary) by receivers.

Main Results:

• Iconicity provided a production benefit (increased stability) even when receivers could not perceive the iconicity.
• This producer-side advantage offered dyads a significant head-start in communication.
• However, dyads lacking receiver-perceived iconicity performed significantly worse overall compared to those with full iconicity.

Conclusions:

• Iconicity confers distinct advantages for signal producers, enhancing communication stability independently of receiver comprehension.
• While producer benefits exist, the full communicative advantage of iconicity is realized when both producer and receiver can utilize the iconic signal.
• These findings highlight the multifaceted role of iconicity in the dynamics of communication and language evolution.