Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

Neural Bases of Multimodal Integration in Children

Objective

Children typically learn their language in a multimodal environment as their caregivers interact with them with a variety of modalities. Especially, hand gestures are often used by caregivers to convey semantic information with speech. Thus, gestures are an important medium for children to understand speakers’ messages (McNeill, 1992). By using behavioural measures, previous studies have revealed that children and adults can comprehend and integrate information from iconic gestures and speech. For example, the Researcher found that it is hard for 3-year-olds to integrate information from speech and co-speech gestures, but 5-year-olds could perform with similar results to adults. However, behavioural measures do not provide access to the underlying neurocognitive processing of speech and iconic gestures, whereas neuroimaging techniques can provide more direct measures of the online cognitive process underlying the comprehension of co-occurring multimodal semantic information. Thus, this project examines neurocognitive processing of semantic information from gesture and speech in children and adults by using neuroimaging techniques such as EEG and fMRI. Study 1 investigates whether iconic gesture and speech are independently or bidirectionally processed in 3- and 5-year-olds and adults. Study 2 examines which brain areas are used to speech and gesture in children and adults. Two contributions are expected from this project. A practical contribution will be providing information to caregivers and teachers about how they should use their gestures to foster childrens’ language acquisition. A theoretical contribution will be providing neurobiological data on how gesture and speech are processed in children and adults. Through this project, the Researcher will obtain knowledge about neuroimaging research and his expertise will contribute to the Host institution by providing knowledge about childrens’ communication research.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MSCA-IF-EF-ST - Standard EF

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2015

See all projects funded under this call

Coordinator

STICHTING RADBOUD UNIVERSITEIT
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 177 598,80
Address
HOUTLAAN 4
6525 XZ Nijmegen
Netherlands

See on map

Region
Oost-Nederland Gelderland Arnhem/Nijmegen
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 177 598,80
My booklet 0 0