Abstract

Language is often hailed as the driving force behind cultural evolution. Yet its true power goes beyond simply voicing thoughts; it lies in establishing a common framework of meaning that allows for the sharing and co-creation of ideas. Conversation provides a platform for minds to meet, enabling us to think collaboratively. In this talk, I will present research on how conversation brings minds into alignment and examine the features of interaction that facilitate this convergence. Lastly, I will discuss recent breakthroughs that shed new light on how minds interact and the necessity of social interaction for the resilience of neural and social systems.

About the speaker

Thalia Wheatley is the Lincoln Filene Professor in Human Relations at Dartmouth and an External Faculty member at the Santa Fe Institute. She founded and co-directs the Consortium of Interacting Minds, an interdisciplinary initiative pioneering advances in interaction research. Drawing on methodologies including hyperscanning, natural language processing, cross-cultural studies, and social network analysis, her research examines how thoughts and emotions emerge collectively and why social interactions are essential to both the stability and resilience of neural and social systems.

Free of charge - All are welcome