Bardi, Melina (2025) Gesture and Speech Synchrony of People Speaking in Their First or Second Language. Bachelor thesis, Psychology.
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Abstract
Gestures are often classified based on their relation to speech, and different theories on their use are often based upon gesture and speech’s (a)synchrony. Past research shows that speaking in one’s first (L1) or second (L2) language affects both the frequency and type of gestures made by speakers. However, there is little consensus on whether gesture-speech synchrony is affected by being an L1 or L2 speaker, and research exploring the role of language proficiency in this synchrony is scarce. The present study examined whether L2 speakers’ gestures precede their speech, having greater asynchrony compared to L1 speakers, and whether language proficiency affects gesture-speech temporal coordination. Video and audio data of 56 university students were collected from a ten-minute debate conducted either in participants’ L1 or L2. The data was annotated and subsequently analyzed to measure any asynchrony between the onset of their gestures and speech. Participants’ (L1 speakers n = 17, L2 speakers n = 39) language proficiency was assessed using the Cloze language test in English or Dutch. Results suggest that neither being an L1 or L2 speaker, nor speakers’ language proficiency level influence gesture and speech’s temporal alignment. The temporal alignment between gesture and speech appears to be robust across conditions, prompting us to consider alternative frameworks on gesture and speech integration. Limitations and implications of the findings are discussed. Keywords: gesture and speech, synchrony, L1 and L2, language proficiency, multimodal communication
| Item Type: | Thesis (Bachelor) |
|---|---|
| Supervisor name: | Jonge-Hoekstra, L. de |
| Degree programme: | Psychology |
| Differentiation route: | None [Bachelor Psychology] |
| Date Deposited: | 18 Jun 2025 14:21 |
| Last Modified: | 18 Jun 2025 14:21 |
| URI: | http://gmwpublic.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4945 |
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