The way the brain, body, and mind interact with social structure to shape communication has so far not received the attention it deserves. This book addresses this gap by providing a novel account of communication as a social, biological and neurological force. Combining theories from communication studies and psycholinguistics, and drawing on biological and evolutionary perspectives, it shows how communication is inherently both biological and social, and that language and the neural systems that support it have evolved in response to a complex social environment. It introduces a clear set of terms based on current research, and illustrates key concepts using real-life examples from everyday conversation - speaking to a number of current debates around the evolutionary and biological basis of language, and the relationship between language, cognition, and environment. Thought provoking and engaging, it will change the way we think about the relationship between communication and cognition.
Author(s): L. David Ritchie
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2022
Language: English
Pages: 363
City: Cambridge
Cover
Half-title
Title page
Copyright information
Dedication
Contents
List of Figures
Preface
The Purpose of the Book
1 The Embodiment Perspective
The Embodiment Perspective
Communication Is Biological.
Metaphors of Communication.
Communication Is Cognitive.
Communication Is Social.
Communication Is Cultural.
Concepts and Metaphorical Terms
Homeostasis, Representation, and Communication
Summary
2 Homeostasis: Perception, Feelings, and Signaling
Embodied Cognition
Evolutionary Perspective.
Homeostasis
The Brain and Central Nervous System
Neural Function.
The Computer Metaphor for Mind.
Structure of the Brain
Physiology of Communication.
Perception.
Experience.
Memory.
Hemispheric Specialization.
Survival Circuits.
Coordinating Representations and Actions.
Physiological Adaptations for Communication
Reward Systems: Why Solving Puzzles, Eating, and Sex Are Fun
Summary
3 How Language and Conversation Evolved
What Is Language?
Language Evolution as a Response to Ecological Pressure
Animal Communication
Language as a Social Tool
Play.
Theory of Mind (ToM) and Signaling.
Social Knowledge.
The Gradual Development of Language
Elaborating the Signal System.
Expanding Vocabulary.
Totemic Imitation.
Elaborating Syntax.
Metaphor.
Abstraction and Ambiguity.
Language for Coordinating Action.
Implications for Our Understanding of Contemporary Language
Memes: Units of Cultural Practice
The Meme Theory Account of Culture and Brain Evolution.
Language and Homeostasis
Summary
4 Thinking: Using and Understanding Language
Mind
Identity and the Self.
Consciousness
What Does Consciousness Do?
Metacognition.
Memory.
Perception, Understanding, and Language
The Conventional Story: The Digital Mind.
Perceptual Symbols.
Evidence for Perceptual Simulations
Simulating Visual Experience.
Simulating Muscular Experience.
Objections to the PSS (Perceptual Symbols Systems) Account.
Metaphor.
Schemas, Scripts, and Scenarios.
Frames.
Emotion.
Natural Language Statistics (Semantic Connections).
Synthesis: Context-Limited Simulation Theory Extended
Summary
5 Emotion
The Classic View: Basic Emotions
The Expanding List of Emotion Categories.
Methodological Issues.
Survival Circuits
Cultural Construction of Emotion
Self-Attribution.
Excitation Transfer.
The Facial Feedback Effect.
Emotion and Homeostasis
Strategic Emotional Expression.
The Enactive View
Synthesis: Affect, Arousal, and Emotion
Emotion and Reason
Communicating Emotion
Emotion Cues and Signals.
Feelings.
Emotion Categories and Terms.
Communicating about Emotions
Summary
6 Signals
Signaling
Intentionality.
Signals.
Language
Word Meaning.
Word Form (Morphology).
Emblems (Code-Like Gestures).
Illustrators.
Utterances
Conversation Support
Supporting the Flow of Language.
Turn-Taking.
Speaker Support.
Expressive Signals
Emotions.
Social Status and Power.
Sexual Interest/Availability.
Relationship and Affiliation.
Digital or Analog?
Ad Hoc Signals
Summary
7 Context
Cognitive Context and Relevance
Context and Interpretation
Establishing Common Ground.
Social Settings
Participants.
Secondary Audiences.
Face-to-Face vs. Mediated.
The Discourse Context
Nature and Purpose of the Talk.
What Has Been Said Before, by Whom, and in What Sequence.
Relationship to Broader Discourse.
Relationship
Affective Valence.
Framing
Physical Surroundings
Culture
Politeness and Relevance
Summary: Context and Homeostasis
8 Relationships and Groups
Basic Human Relationships
Homeostasis, Relationships, and Social Groups
Facework: Politeness and Impoliteness
Impoliteness.
Theory of Mind and Moral Judgment.
Morality.
Facework, Homeostasis, and Morality.
Strategic Impoliteness and Morality: Trade-Offs.
Social Control.
Power and Status
Signals of Power.
Bases of Power.
Managing Social Distance.
Relationships of Equal Status
Culture and Representation
Relationship Dimensions
Summary
9 Conversation
Conversation and Homeostasis
Telic Communication.
Structure of Conversation
Fine Structure of Conversation - Moment by Moment.
Conversation Scripts
Beginnings.
Terminations.
Topic Changes and Framing.
Power and Status.
Turn-Taking.
Delays.
Formulating a Response.
Repairs.
Recursion
Settings and Genres
Conflict Talk.
Argumentation and Logic.
Summary
10 Play
The Nature of Play
Juvenile Play
Adult Play
Language Play
Play in Conversation
Play and Homeostasis
Play and the Origins of Language Use
Summary
11 Metaphor
Lexical Metaphor and Metonymy
Semantic Association and Simulation
Conceptual Metaphors
From Code to Conceptual Metaphor - and Back?
Grammatical Metaphor
Multimodal Metaphor
Metaphorical Stories and Story Metaphors
Playful Metaphors.
Understanding Metaphors
Contextual Influences on Individual Interpretations.
Convolution and the Cognitive-Affective Model.
Analogy Versus Conceptual Metaphor: Comparing To or Experiencing As.
Metaphor, Social Structure, and Personal Identity
Synthesis: Context-Limited Simulation Theory (CLST)
Summary
12 Humor and Irony
Theories of Humor
Humor as Sublimated Aggression.
Incongruity and Frame-Shifting.
A Cognitive/Evolutionary Account of Humor.
Relevance.
Playful Humor.
Social Functions of Humor and Play
Humor Cultures.
Humor as a Coping Mechanism
Irony
Summary
13 Stories
Defining Story
Master-Plots, Setting, and Character Types
Setting.
Types of Story.
Storytelling in Conversations
Identity Stories
Summary
14 Media Technology, Social Reality, and Discourse
Communication Technology
Language and Conversation.
Social Reality.
How Media Affect Cognition.
Visual Images
Written Language
Print
The Audience
Electronic Media
Radio and Television.
Computer/Internet.
The Cellphone.
Elaborating and Fragmenting Social Reality
Public Discourse
Narratives
Frame Conflicts.
Example: Public Discourse about the US Civil War
Conflicting Narratives: ''That's Not Who We Are.''
Lies and Fake News
Summary
15 Recap: Homeostasis and Communication
Cognition
External Signals.
Extending Homeostasis.
Language, Personhood, and Conversation
Conversation.
Discourse
Emotions and Values
Summary
Post-Script, Methodological Implications: Polysemy and Objectivity
References
Index
