nfay@psy.uwa.edu.au

Username: nfay@psy.uwa.edu.au

Participant details

	Network Member	Nicolas Fay
	Organisation/Institution	University of Western Australia
	Department/Centre	Psychology
	Lab	ComLab
	Website	http://www.psy.uwa.edu.au/comlab/
	Research area	Psychology Interpersonal Communication
	Research keywords

Research Interests

Human communication is a complicated process involving a number of systems that work in concert (i.e. verbal & nonverbal). While we tend to communicate with ease, it’s not clear how we do this. “How it works” (i.e. the process), and our perceived communicative ability (read prowess) are two questions my research addresses. With respect to question 1, I’m interested in how we communicate across a range of modalities e.g. verbal, gesture, and graphical. Current projects include the following: the interactive evolution of graphical conventions (e.g. writing systems) and the benefits they offer (e.g. computer icons & road signs); a [human] simulation of the pantomimic origins of sign language and its development; and an empirical investigation of the proposition that spoken language evolved from manual communication (i.e. gesture) and subsequently migrated to the mouth (i.e. speech). As for question 2, in collaboration with A/Prof Andrew Page (UWA), I am currently investigating the perceived and actual communicative proficiency (speaking & listening) of persons who suffer from social anxiety. For more information (including publications and grants held) please visit my webpage (www.psy.uwa.edu.au/comlab/) or send me an Email (nfay@psy.uwa.edu.au).

Member for: 5 years 8 months 1 weeks 6 days