人文科学研究所公開研究会・公開講演会開催のお知らせ

◆公開研究会　13:30～14:30

報告者1　　Jiaxin　YAN 氏(東北大学博士後期課程1年)

テーマ1　　Seeing Is Remembering: Neural Evidence for the Role of Gesture in Second Language Acquisition

要　旨1　　In everyday communication, gestures naturally accompany speech—like two sides of the same coin— providing listeners with visual cues that enrich understanding. But how does this process unfold when listening to a second language (L2) ? And what happens in the brain when gestures are present?

In this talk, I will present findings from a behavioral and neuroimaging (fMRI) study with Japanese learners of English, examining how iconic gestures influence L2 comprehension and memory. The results demonstrate that gestures enhance the encoding of spoken language, especially in L2, and engage visual and semantic brain regions—including the left posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), a key hub for gesture–speech integration. Notably, activation in this region positively correlated with L2 verbal memory performance. I will also discuss how individual differences, such as listening skills and attention to visual cues, shape the effect of gestures.

Together, these findings illuminate the cognitive and neural foundations of gesture–speech integration and suggest practical implications for fostering communication and interaction in second language environments.

◆公開講演会　14:45～16:15

報告者2　　Maria　Graziano 氏(スウェーデン・ルンド大学准教授)　

テーマ2　　The visual modality of language: the interplay gesture and speech in face-to-face communication/言語の視覚情報：対面におけるジェスチャーとスピーチの相互作用

要　旨2　　Face-to-face communication is inherently multimodal. Regardless of linguistic or cultural background, speakers frequently accompany their speech with gestures. In this presentation, I will illustrate some aspects of the interaction between these two modalities.

使用言語　英語（通訳なし）

【注意事項】

・構内でのマスクの着用については個人の判断に委ねることが基本となりますが、3密を回避できない場合はマスクの着用を推奨します。

・手洗い手指消毒などの基本的な感染防止対策にご協力ください。　　　

無料

事前申し込みは不要です。

研究会主催:「言語知識の獲得と使用」チーム（責任者：平川眞規子　研究員）
講演会主催：中央大学人文科学研究所（担当教員：平川眞規子　研究員/文学部教授）