Gestures in ACTion (G-ACT): Exploring its Origins, Development, and Impact on communication

G-ACT is a non-oriented research project with the primary objective of advancing our understanding of the role of gestures in both nonhuman and human communication. To achieve this, the research team will employ an interdisciplinary approach to investigate: (i) communicative gestures in nonhuman primates, (ii) the development and use of co-speech gestures across human cultures and developmental stages, and (iii) the role of non-referential gestures in childrens oral linguistic abilities. This research has the potential to provide groundbreaking insights and evidence addressing key theoretical and empirical questions on the evolution and development of communication and human language. The individual studies that form the core of this project are designed to make innovative contributions to several disciplines. In primatology, G-ACT aims to address the current biases in species studied by broadening the range of nonhuman primate populations examined, thereby bridging gaps in our understanding of gestural function and evolution. In developmental psychology, the project will be the first to explore the use and development of gestures in peer communication settings among children, while also introducing cross-cultural evidence, a largely overlooked factor in this field. Additionally, it will provide valuable insights into the cognitive mechanisms underlying the use and function of co-speech gestures across the lifespan. In linguistics, the research will yield novel evidence on the role of non-referential gestures in enhancing childrens comprehension and production of oral explanation discourses, by offering new perspectives on the benefits of gestures in learning processes. The primary outputs of G-ACT will be the generation of new knowledge; however, the findings have the potential to open new lines of research and inspire evidence-based applications in the educational domain. By addressing gaps and biases across multiple fields, G-ACT will significantly contribute to our understanding of communication and language, paving the way for theoretical advancements and practical applications.

Research team

Dr. Thomas Castelain | Serra Húnter Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, UdG

Dr. Miquel Llorente | Serra Húnter Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, UdG

Dr. Ingrid Vilà i Giménez | Assistant professor, Department of Specific Didactics, UdG

José Miguel Gázquez | PhD candidate, Comparative Minds research group, UdG

Mikel Redin | PhD candidate, Comparative Minds research group, UdG

Leonardo Nigrini | PhD candidate, Comparative Minds research group, UdG

María Castilla | PhD candidate, Comparative Minds research group, UdG

Dr. Federica Amici | Associate Researcher, Universität Leipzig, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology

Dr. Daniela Rodriguez | Associate Researcher, Universidade Católica Portuguesa

Dr. Simeon Floyd | Associate Professor, Department of Antropology, Universidad San Francisco de Quito

Dr. Melissa Ng Lee Yen Abdullah | Associate Professor, School of Educational Studies, Universiti Sains Malaysia

Dr. Chia Chun Tiew | Assistant Professor, Faculty of Arts and Social Science, Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

Dr. Pilar Prieto | ICREA senior, Department of Translation and Language Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra