The Communication and Cognition (COMCOG) research group, based at the Heidelberg Center for Ibero-American Studies (HCIAS), focuses on the intersection of language use, cognition, and context. Our work is grounded in experimental pragmatics, with an emphasis on how linguistic structures interact with cognitive processes during communication.

Our research is driven by the pragmatic perspective, exploring how context influences meaning-making. This includes studies on discourse markers, connectives, and other linguistic devices that guide interpretation, as well as multimodal aspects of communication, such as gestures and visual cues. We aim to understand not only how language is processed in real time but also how these processes vary across different languages and communicative settings.

Our team engages in both theoretical and empirical work. Experimental methodologies, such as eye-tracking, allow us to capture cognitive processes as they occur, providing direct and indirect observations of how speakers and listeners manage communication. This empirical approach complements our descriptive studies, which analyze the formal properties of language and their impact on discourse.

Collaborating with researchers across linguistic, cognitive, and applied fields, our group has contributed to advancing the understanding of how humans communicate and comprehend language. We participate in various international projects and work with partner institutions to address complex research questions through an interdisciplinary lens.

In addition to our experimental work, we are involved in applied research, offering insights that have relevance for translation studies, second language acquisition, and the development of language technologies. Our diverse research activities contribute to a deeper understanding of both the cognitive mechanisms underlying language and the practical applications of these insights.

For further details on specific projects or research areas, please explore the relevant sections on our website.