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Psycholinguistic perspectives on face-to-face conversation

Nature Reviews Psychology (2026)Cite this article

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Abstract

Traditional psycholinguistic approaches to language have examined production and comprehension in isolation. However, these processes are tightly intertwined and embedded in social interactions. In this Review, we summarize empirical work that highlights the behavioural and cognitive complexities of communicating meaning in face-to-face conversation and that should be captured by psycholinguistic accounts and paradigms. To begin, we consider the implications of conceptualizing language as a situated joint action. Then, we summarize work on three defining features of conversation. First, visual bodily signals play an integral role in composing and comprehending meaning and achieving mutual understanding. Second, addressee feedback signals understanding or difficulty understanding, and the monitoring of interlocutors for such signals adds demands on cognitive resources. Third, multi-party interactions require participants to keep track of and adapt to multiple people’s understanding, signals and shared knowledge. In closing, we point to issues that require further research and the development of experimental paradigms that can capture defining features of face-to-face conversation while maintaining experimental control.

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Fig. 1: From single minds to minds in dialogue.
Fig. 2: Multimodal language in face-to-face conversation.
Fig. 3: Addressee feedback in face-to-face conversation.
Fig. 4: Multi-party interactions.

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  1. Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition & Behaviour, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Judith Holler

  2. Multimodal Language Department, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Judith Holler

  3. Institute of Psychology, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

    Anna K. Kuhlen

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Holler, J., Kuhlen, A.K. Psycholinguistic perspectives on face-to-face conversation. Nat Rev Psychol (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-026-00538-1

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