AUTHOR=Bergmann Kirsten , Branigan Holly P. , Kopp Stefan 

TITLE=Exploring the Alignment Space – Lexical and Gestural Alignment with Real and Virtual Humans

JOURNAL=Frontiers in ICT

VOLUME=2

YEAR=2015

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/ict/articles/10.3389/fict.2015.00007

DOI=10.3389/fict.2015.00007

ISSN=2297-198X

ABSTRACT=<p>Communication is characterized by speakers’ dynamic adaptations and coordination of both linguistic and non-verbal behaviors. Understanding this phenomenon of <italic>alignment</italic> and its underlying mechanisms and processes in both human–human and human–computer interactions is of particular importance when building artificial interlocutors. In this paper, we contribute to further explorations of the still fragmentary alignment space with two controlled experiments on <italic>lexical</italic> and <italic>gestural</italic> alignment. Our results show, on the one hand, that human interlocutors align their lexical choice and gesture handedness in similar ways when interacting with real versus virtual humans. On the other hand, we found, however, also subtle differences. We discuss our findings in terms of a dynamic interplay of multiple components (automatic and strategic) and mechanisms (communicative and social).</p>