The historical origins of natural language cannot be observed directly. We can, however,
study systems that support language and we can also develop models that explore the …

In the last few years a new line of research has appeared in the literature. This line of
research, which may be referred to as experimental semiotics (ES; Galantucci,; Galantucci …

A unique hallmark of human language is that it uses signals that are both learnt and
symbolic. The emergence of such signals was therefore a defining event in human cognitive …

In the last few years, researchers have begun to investigate the emergence of novel forms of
human communication in the laboratory. I survey this growing line of research, which may be …

The discovery of mirror neurons in macaques and of a similar system in humans has
provided a new and fertile neurobiological ground for rooting a variety of cognitive faculties …

In the last few years, researchers have begun to study novel human communication systems
in the laboratory (Experimental Semiotics, ES). The first goal of this article is to provide a …

The ability to design tailored messages for specific listeners is an important aspect of human
communication. The present study investigates whether a mere belief about an addressee's …

Human communication is often thought about in terms of transmitted messages in a
conventional code like a language. But communication requires a specialized interactive …

Humans have a remarkable capacity for tuning their communicative behaviors to different
addressees, a phenomenon also known as recipient design. It remains unclear how this …

Arbitrariness and systematicity are two of language's most fascinating properties. Although
both are characterizations of the map**s between signals and meanings, their emergence …