In this project, we propose that joint attention is a fundamentally multisensory phenomenon. Using both philosophical and experimental methods, we study how different senses shape joint attention and, conversely, how joint attention can affect perception across modalities.

We frequently and effortlessly coordinate our attention with others towards a common focus, from playing basketball and singing duets, to child and caregiver sharing a toy. Joint attention plays a fundamental role in our social lives: it ensures that we refer to the same object, develop a shared language, understand each other and coordinate our actions. Research on joint attention has been mostly focused on eye-gaze coordination. But is vision sufficient? Which role do the other senses play in joint attention?

Our latest research updates:

New paper: Coordinating attention requires coordinated senses

Battich, L., Fairhurst, M., & Deroy, O. (2020). Coordinating attention requires coordinated senses. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-020-01766-z There is more to joint attention than meets the eye! Playing tennis, singing together, ordering a cake: we effortlessly coordinate each other’s attention towards a common focus in rich multisensory ways. Here...

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Our publications:

Battich, L., Garzorz, I., Wahn, B., & Deroy, O. (2021). The impact of joint attention on the sound-induced flash illusions. Attention, Perception, & Psychophysics. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13414-021-02347-5

Battich, L., Fairhurst, M., & Deroy, O. (2020). Coordinating attention requires coordinated senses. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 27(6): 1126-1138. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-020-01766-z

Battich, L. and Geurts, B. (2020). Joint attention and perceptual experience. Synthese. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11229-020-02602-6

Other academic resources:

Poster presented at the Aegina Summer School on Social Cognition 2019, Aegina, Greece.

Poster presented at the Summer School “Recent Developments in Situated Cognition” 2019, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Germany.

Talk presented at the Open Minds XIII Conference, 2018, The University of Manchester, UK.

A discussion of the role of joint attention at the Institute of Art and Ideas News.

Team
Lucas Battich
Lucas Battich
Ophelia Deroy
Ophelia Deroy