Pint of Science Festival: The Shape of Language

Every day we spend an incredible amount of time using our language ability to interact with the world. But, how does our brain use external and internal information to shape the way we speak and how we learn? During this evening of talks we will find out how and also about the fascinating connections between rhythm, speech, learning and reward.

Can You Follow the Rhythm of Language?
Dr. Florencia Assaneo (Post-doctoral Associate, Department of Psychology, NYU) @FlorAssaneo
Have you ever found yourself tapping your foot to the rhythm of a song? An interesting question is whether our ability to speak is connected with our ability to synchronize to the world around us. Florencia will discuss how people differ in coordinating their speaking rate in response to what they hear. She will show that people come in two flavors: some of us spontaneously synchronize to external rhythms and some of us remain impervious to them.

Do We Enjoy Learning a New Language?
Dr. Pablo Ripollés (Post-doctoral Associate, Department of Psychology, NYU)
@PabloRiVi
Is learning a new language rewarding? Learning and reward have historically been studied separately, with little research trying to assess language learning from a reward perspective. Pablo will show us how, even in absence of external feedback, learning new words modulates brain activity not only in brain regions related to language processing, but also in brain regions related to reward.

$5

Doors 6:30pm

The Atwood
986 Second Ave.
New York 10022










When: Tue., May. 21, 2019 at 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Every day we spend an incredible amount of time using our language ability to interact with the world. But, how does our brain use external and internal information to shape the way we speak and how we learn? During this evening of talks we will find out how and also about the fascinating connections between rhythm, speech, learning and reward.

Can You Follow the Rhythm of Language?
Dr. Florencia Assaneo (Post-doctoral Associate, Department of Psychology, NYU) @FlorAssaneo
Have you ever found yourself tapping your foot to the rhythm of a song? An interesting question is whether our ability to speak is connected with our ability to synchronize to the world around us. Florencia will discuss how people differ in coordinating their speaking rate in response to what they hear. She will show that people come in two flavors: some of us spontaneously synchronize to external rhythms and some of us remain impervious to them.

Do We Enjoy Learning a New Language?
Dr. Pablo Ripollés (Post-doctoral Associate, Department of Psychology, NYU)
@PabloRiVi
Is learning a new language rewarding? Learning and reward have historically been studied separately, with little research trying to assess language learning from a reward perspective. Pablo will show us how, even in absence of external feedback, learning new words modulates brain activity not only in brain regions related to language processing, but also in brain regions related to reward.

$5

Doors 6:30pm

The Atwood
986 Second Ave.
New York 10022
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