Universitetskaya Emb. 11 Universitetskaya Emb. 11 St.Petersburg, Russia, St.Petersburg, Russia, Tel./FAX (7-812) Tel./FAX (7-812) St. Petersburg State University

Laboratory for Cognitive Sciences Tatiana V. CHERNIGOVSKAYA Doctor of Science in Biology and in Human Physiology, Professor The Laboratory was set up at the Institute of Philology of St.Petersburg State University in The Head of the Laboratory is Tatiana Chernigovskaya

Laboratory for Cognitive Sciences The Laboratory for Cognitive Sciences in St.Petersburg is a center for interdisciplinary research devoted to understanding a wide range of human experience. In addition to exploring psycholinguistic and cognitive phenomena, the laboratory's activity extends to allied fields such as consciousness research, Theory of Mind, cognitive neuroscience, perception and psychology. In addition to exploring psycholinguistic and cognitive phenomena, the laboratory's activity extends to allied fields such as consciousness research, Theory of Mind, cognitive neuroscience, perception and psychology.

SPATIAL ASPECTS OF COMMUNICATION IN SOCIALLY DISTRIBUTED COGNITION Tatiana Petrova Ekaterina Mikhajlovskaja Ekaterina Mikhajlovskaja

Studying of communication in difficult conditions and mechanisms compensating communicative and cognitive deficit in mutual interaction is among the actual problems of modern cognitive linguistics (S.Levinson, H.Clark, S.Brennan, B.Landau, J.Hoffman, T.Chernigovskaja, I.Utekhin etc.) Studying of communication in difficult conditions and mechanisms compensating communicative and cognitive deficit in mutual interaction is among the actual problems of modern cognitive linguistics (S.Levinson, H.Clark, S.Brennan, B.Landau, J.Hoffman, T.Chernigovskaja, I.Utekhin etc.)

Informants Adults: 3 native speakers of Russian Adults: 3 native speakers of Russian Children: 9 children (5,5 – 6 years old) of one group of Russian-Finish kindergarten of Helsinki: 4 children (mother is Russian, father is Finn) 5 children (both parents are Russian) 5 children (both parents are Russian)

OBJECTIVE To study the psycholinguistic and linguistic features of communication behavior of a child and an adult during mutual solving of spatial problems. To study the psycholinguistic and linguistic features of communication behavior of a child and an adult during mutual solving of spatial problems.

DESIGN OF THE STUDY Within the study, communicative interaction in dyads was part of a joint activity. One participant (Matcher) had the task to get the same configuration of LEGO details as the other (Director). There was a screen between the participants, and thus neither visual contact, nor opportunity for visual monitoring of the partner’s progress was provided (cf. experiments in Clark & Krych 2004, Metzing & Brennan 2003, Brennan 2000). Within the study, communicative interaction in dyads was part of a joint activity. One participant (Matcher) had the task to get the same configuration of LEGO details as the other (Director). There was a screen between the participants, and thus neither visual contact, nor opportunity for visual monitoring of the partner’s progress was provided (cf. experiments in Clark & Krych 2004, Metzing & Brennan 2003, Brennan 2000).

HYPOTHESIS A bilingual child has a lack of language means to express the spatial category A bilingual child has a lack of language means to express the spatial category Preschool children have a deficit of TOM ability (it’s difficult for them to deduce the mental state of communicative partner) Preschool children have a deficit of TOM ability (it’s difficult for them to deduce the mental state of communicative partner) Adults need to adapt their notation system to the level of children’s communicative and cognitive competence. Adults need to adapt their notation system to the level of children’s communicative and cognitive competence.

METHOD The screening analysis of verbal interaction (Transana MU 2.22 software was used) made it possible to reveal and classify the main features of interactivity The screening analysis of verbal interaction (Transana MU 2.22 software was used) made it possible to reveal and classify the main features of interactivity

INTERACTION Efficient interaction involves coordination of activities, establishing of common ground (on grounding, see Clark 1996, Ch.8) and joint attention Efficient interaction involves coordination of activities, establishing of common ground (on grounding, see Clark 1996, Ch.8) and joint attention

During the interaction Internal organization of the dialog itself: organize turn-taking, display understanding and monitor partner’s understanding, etc. When visual monitoring is not available and feedback is limited to vocal channel, it is especially evident that many of these activities require that participants realize what is before the partner’s eyes, what the partner is attending to at the moment, what she means or intends, and what a well recipient-designed utterance would be like. Deixis and reference involve special efforts under these conditions. Internal organization of the dialog itself: organize turn-taking, display understanding and monitor partner’s understanding, etc. When visual monitoring is not available and feedback is limited to vocal channel, it is especially evident that many of these activities require that participants realize what is before the partner’s eyes, what the partner is attending to at the moment, what she means or intends, and what a well recipient-designed utterance would be like. Deixis and reference involve special efforts under these conditions.

Stages of interaction IdentificationLocalizationChecking

Identification Definition of forms, colors and sizes of LEGO details. Definition of forms, colors and sizes of LEGO details. Bilingual children of preschool age  Can count from one to ten  Know the main geometric figures (“square”, “cube”, “circle”, “rectangle”)  Name the main colors in Russian

LOCALIZATION VerticalHorizontalSaggital

LOCALIZATION  the most difficult stage  Bilingual children do the mistakes in using perfective and imperfective verbs, using perfective and imperfective verbs, choosing the case of a noun choosing the case of a noun congruence of subjects and predicates in gender and number etc. congruence of subjects and predicates in gender and number etc. Sometimes they use finish words Sometimes they use finish words

Using metaphors В: положи желтую рядом с зеленой. Вот, получился такой вот четырехугольник. Если будем строить домик сейчас, то это будет в домике первый этаж. Представляешь? Первый этаж, желтенькая и зелененькая. Получилось? Р: Да. В: Хорошо. Здорово. На первом этаже у нас желтая и зеленая, на втором этаже у нас синяя большая. а давай мы теперь крышу сделаем, крыша у нас будет красного цвета. Крышу красного цвета на синюю, которую ты токо что прикрепил сверху. У нас получился такой трактор () кабина, да у него, такой. Вот () и у тебя осталась одна деталька. Какая? Р: синяя маленькая В: Синяя маленькая. Давай-ка мы этому трактору нос приделаем.

CHECKING  is usually done by an adult.  Solving this task a child just answers the questions  An adult can predict the difficulties that a child could have and helps the child to avoid them.

CONCLUSIONS The efficiency of communication and the success in solving the task depend on : The efficiency of communication and the success in solving the task depend on : adult’s behavior; type of bilingualism, individual psychological and communicative peculiarities of informants, extent of acquaintance, TOM ability

CONCLUSIONS This method can be used for: This method can be used for: estimating the communicative competence of a child; Estimating the language competence of a child; testing the professional capacity of a kindergarten teacher; testing the professional capacity of a kindergarten teacher; theoretical study of metarepresentation

Tatiana Petrova Ekaterina Mikhajlovskaja THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION