Abstract
The paper investigates the use of gaze along with deictics and embodied pointing to accomplish reference and joint attention in naturally occurring social interaction. It assumes that deixis, in its primordial use in face-to-face interaction, is an embodied phenomenon that involves gestural pointing as well as visual perception, thus giving rise to recurring gaze practices of the participants. The analysis draws on a model of the interactional organization of deictic reference and joint attention that serves as a sequential framework for investigating the functions of eye gaze. The analysis focuses on two meta-perceptive practices: gaze following and gaze monitoring. It shows that the use of these practices in naturally occurring social activities is context dependent, positionally sensitive, tied to participant roles, and temporally fine-tuned to the stream of the participants’ verbal and embodied conduct. The sequential analysis of these practices further documents that meta-perceptive gaze practices contribute to the constitution of joint attention as mutually known by the participants. The data for this study were recorded with two pairs of mobile eye tracking glasses and an external camera. Methodologically situated within the framework of conversation analysis and interactional linguistics where video recording is used, the study breaks new ground by employing a technology almost exclusively applied in experimental frameworks to record ordinary social activities “in the wild.” In striving for ecologically valid and precise eye gaze data, it also contributes to a refinement of concepts developed in experimental paradigms by adapting them to qualitative research within the field of multimodal conversation analysis and interactional linguistics.
Highlights
IntroductionDemonstratives, or deictics, constitute a particular class of linguistic items
Across languages, demonstratives, or deictics, constitute a particular class of linguistic items
Based on video data recorded with an external camera and mobile eye tracking glasses worn by participants in naturally occurring social activities, this paper investigated the function of gaze practices deployed concurrently with deictics and embodied pointing to establish joint attention as a mutually known interactional achievement
Summary
Demonstratives, or deictics, constitute a particular class of linguistic items. Whether established verbally and/or gesturally, joint visual attention constitutes a triadic relationship between two participants and an object. This implies that they shift their gaze to the object. Gaze may serve to establish joint attention in the absence of verbal and/or gestural pointing. By following another person’s line of regard (Flom et al, 2007), and by observing and inferring what the other person sees, we may share attention with that person. Joint attention must be mutually known in order to become part of the participants’ common ground (Clark, 1996)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
