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Harmonious Hands: An Investigation of Alignment During American Sign Language Fingerspelling
Poster Session F, Friday, October 2, 2:45 - 4:45 pm, Wangari Maathai
Joseph Palagano1, Lorna Quandt1; 1Gallaudet University
A central question in the neurobiology of language is how interlocutors dynamically align neural and behavioral responses during dialogue to co-construct meaning. This cooperative activity involves co-developing shared conceptual models to aid learning and knowledge transfer (Bratman, 1992). Communication moves beyond merely encoding and decoding utterances; it demands aligning linguistic tendencies (e.g., production rate, attention) and content (e.g., predictability, register) with a partner’s intent, knowledge, and emotions (Snedeker & Trueswell, 2003; Verga & Kotz, 2013; Doyle & Frank, 2016). This results in behavioral alignment—an increased similarity of behaviors among dyads—which prior findings suggest is mirrored by converging neural activation patterns (Menenti et al., 2012). In sign languages, lexical units can be sequentially segmented, a structure highly established in systems of fingerspelling (Klima & Bellugi, 1979). Fluent fingerspelling relies on mastering several perceptual and productive components at sub-second timescales. Signers must rapidly decode multi-segmented words, adapt to high degrees of variation in interlocutor skill, draw on both weak and well-formed semantic associations, and abstract information from phonetic forms to semantics. However, the cognitive mechanisms supporting neural coupling and behavioral similarities during these processes remain unclear, particularly regarding their plasticity and whether these effects persist in signed languages as they do in spoken languages. To address this, we are conducting a dual-electroencephalography (EEG) hyperscanning study to assess real-time phonologic alignment during American Sign Language (ASL) fingerspelling. We hypothesize that both top-down and bottom-up predictive processing mechanisms influence fingerspelling perception and production, as reflected in behavioral and neural alignment. We are recruiting 25 signing adult dyads from Gallaudet University. Data collection is in process, and preliminary results will be shared at the meeting. Dyads will take turns producing phonologically predictable and unpredictable fingerspelling segments and matching their partner's production to a set of potential responses (e.g., predictable: cheerios, churros, cheezits, cheetos; unpredictable: chanrkes, cholus, chemotes, chitres). This goal-driven task was chosen to increase feelings of cooperation, which is known to prompt alignment. Participants will also complete demographic background surveys and assess their partner’s perceived ASL fluency and their social cohesion. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activity is being recorded from 32-channels per participant using BrainVision hardware (Jasper, 1958; Douglas et al., 2023). We will video record the sessions, and all dyads' fingerspelling will be assessed via ELAN coding along four dimensions: legibility, completeness, correctness, and, if errors exist, error type. Neural alignment will be assessed via wavelet coherence analysis—focusing on alpha, theta, and beta oscillatory bands (Pérez et al., 2019)—providing a measure of interbrain synchrony between specific and analogous electrode pairs (e.g., each participant’s Cz). This enables us to assess differences in alignment that might be due to role (fingerspeller/perceiver), fluency (skilled/novice), and conditions (predictable/unpredictable). We predict all dyads will show greater neural alignment during predictable conditions. Furthermore, if neural alignment is a proxy for mutual intelligibility, dyads should perform more accurately as wavelet coherence increases, regardless of condition. Ongoing results from this hyperscanning paradigm will be shared at the 2026 SNL meeting.
Topic Areas: Signed Language and Gesture, Writing and Spelling