Deictic communication in development

Start Date: September 2016

No. of positions available: 1

Supervisor: Dr Martin Doherty and Dr Andrew Bayliss

Project description:
DCOMM www.dcomm.eu is a new Marie Sklodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Innovative Training Network. It will train the next generation of scientists in the full range of multidisciplinary and cross-sectorial methods necessary to make significant progress in understanding deictic communication, with direct synergies between basic research and application. Deictic communication is fundamental to understanding communication in both typical and atypical populations, and forms the key connection between language and objects/locations in the world.

The Deictic Communication in development project will examine spatial demonstratives in typical development, and the relationship between demonstratives, gesturing and theory of mind (Doherty, 2009) cross-sectionally. Eye tracking will be used with infants and toddlers during simple play, employing tasks that will encourage children to identify objects referred to with demonstratives and to test to what extent they rely on joint attention cues (e.g. checking gaze of the speaker) (Carpenter et al 1998; Doherty et al, 2009). Other methods will include measurement of reaction times when speakers do or do not share the perspective of a conspecific (with older children). This project will be the first to examine the relationship between demonstratives, perspective/theory of mind, and joint attention using a range of controlled and ecologically valid metacognitive tasks.

Application requirements: a first degree in psychology or a related discipline; a Masters level degree in psychological science or a related discipline; fluency in spoken and written English commensurate with PhD study. Desirable criteria: experience of developmental research with children.

Person specification:
The position is open to candidates of any nationality, as long as they fulfil the requirements set for Early Stage Researchers (ESRs) funded by Marie Sklodwoska-Curie actions.

Early-stage researchers shall, at the time of recruitment by the host organisation, be in the first four years (full-time equivalent research experience) of their research careers and not yet have been awarded a doctoral degree.

Mobility Rule: at the time of recruitment by the host organisation, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organisation (UK) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the reference date.

Funding notes:
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 676063.

The salary is based on the standard Marie Skłodowska-Curie Early Stage Researcher living and mobility allowances: 

Living Allowance – the sterling equivalent of EUR 3,741.33 per month;

Mobility allowance – the sterling equivalent of EUR 600 per month;

Family Allowance – the sterling equivalent of EUR 500 per month (if applicable).