Evolving artificial sign languages in the lab: from improvised gesture to systematic sign (dataset)

Abstract

This dataset comprises videos recorded for an artificial language learning study in the manual modality. Three experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, pairs of participants communicated about a set of concepts using only gestures. Pairs of participants were trained on gestures produced by a previous participant and the gestures they produced in testing were used as training for a new pair of participants. Experiment 1 thus operationalised both transmission to new learners and interaction between communicators. In experiment 2, we isolate transmission and interaction. In one condition, individual participants learn gestures from a model and then produce their own gestures for the same concepts in testing. In the other, pairs of participants communicate repeatedly with a partner about the same concepts, without transmission to new participants. In the first 2 experiments, participants involved in interaction were given explicit pressures to communicate quickly and accurately. In experiment 3, we re-run experiment 1 and the interaction only condition of experiment 2 without these explicit pressures.