Deanara Castro
Research Mentor(s): Julie Boland
Mentor Department: Psychology
Authors: Julie Boland, Deanara Castro, Kayla Hurst, Dorothy Lin, Nadia Jahanbin, Emily Huang
Session: Session 3 (11:00am – 11:50am)
Presentation Type: Poster 57
Abstract
Prior research, including Boland et al. (2022) and Wilson & Wilson (2005), suggests that conversational turn-taking is facilitated by neural oscillatory mechanisms synchronizing with speech rhythms. However, much of this work has focused on how Zoom disrupts these natural rhythms with evidence suggesting that it is variable electronic delays. Evidence showcases how Zoom and the absence of bodily cues disrupt these natural rhythms of conversation, creating mixed results. Additionally, many of these studies used a contrived Map Task to guide the conversation. In this current study, it uses natural, unstructured conversation. It also contains experimenter-controlled, fixed-length delays instead of Zoom. The interlocutors were in separate rooms, so no bodily cues to turn-taking were available. They exhibited fast and consistent transition times, with minimal gaps and overlap, without bodily cues, and even with experimenter-controlled delays. All conversations were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. These findings suggest that bodily cues may be more important in the map task than in natural conversation, and that neutral oscillatory mechanisms are adaptable to fixed-length days.
