Aparna Nadig, Ph.D.
Academic title(s):
Associate Professor
Degree(s):
BA Cognitive Studies, Lewis & Clark College, Reed College
MS Cognitive Science, Brown University
PhD Cognitive Science, Brown University
Link(s):
Research areas:
Autism spectrum disorders
Healthy adults
Typically-developing infants and children
Current research:
My research focuses on pragmatic development, social communication, and language and communication in individuals with autism spectrum disorders. I am especially interested in how we use multiple sources of information (visual, prosodic, from previous discourse, about our conversational partner) to arrive at a speaker’s intended meaning, and how we do this in real time, and what characteristics underlie this ability.
Current work in my lab examines:
- Mechanisms underlying language learning in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) (e.g., memory systems, executive functions, preferential attention to gaze)
- Individual differences in the dynamics of conversation (e.g., reciprocity of topic, coordination of gaze with turn taking, collaboration on referential pacts)
- The efficacy of our newly-developed Transition Support Program for young adults with ASD (in collaboration with Prof. Tara Flanagan, McGill Educational and Counselling Psychology)
- Infants’ learning about objects from social cues versus repeated exposure (in collaboration with Prof. Kristine Onishi, McGill Psychology)
Selected publications:
Group:
Core and Clinical Faculty
