Speaking while moving: Does the head compensate for the hands not being able to move?

Overview & Synopsis

Some studies tested the gesture-speech link by investigating whether speech production was affected when speakers are not able to gesture with their hands. Their results are mixed. However , when hand motion is blocked or constrained, speakers may move other body parts as a compensation. Here, we investigate a potential compensation by enhancement of natural head motion. We explored this question by using data from a motion capture experiment in which people had to recall stories in different movement conditions with hands being either free, blocked or constrained by circular motion using a minibike. A within-subject design was used with 25 native speakers of German. Our results are contrary to our predictions and suggest that head motion may actually be inhibited when the hands are prevented from gesturing. They also suggest that motion capture could be a good way to explore the question. These preliminary findings are also interpreted with respect to an overall stiffening of the upper body, and a potential head-hand coordination in motion.