ZASxTalk: Autonomic Processes of Language Production in Infants

Autonomic Processes of Language Production in Infants

My research program examines how the autonomic nervous system shapes infants’ early attempts at language production, a process far less understood than language perception. Because vocalizing is a complex motor skill that draws on multiple physiological systems, I use wireless sensors, computer vision, and machine learning to capture how infants coordinate these systems in naturalistic interactions with caregivers. In this talk I will discuss new insights into the role of autonomic processes in language development with the goal of developing translational opportunities for diagnosing and supporting infants at risk for communication and attention disorders.

Biography

Dr. Jeremy I. Borjon is an Assistant Professor of Psychology in the Integrative Program in Developmental, Cognitive, & Behavioral Neuroscience at the University of Houston and Director of the Developing Systems Laboratory. His research program investigates how infants coordinate internal states with emerging cognitive and motor systems during the first years of life. Using dense, multimodal sampling methods including head-mounted eye-tracking, wireless physiology, motion capture, and audiovisual recordings, he examines how visual, motor, and autonomic processes interact with emerging infant behavior and caregiver responsiveness to shape infant attention and language development. Dr. Borjon completed his Ph.D. in Psychology and Neuroscience at Princeton University, postdoctoral training at Indiana University, and was previously a Simons Fellow in Computational Neuroscience at Yale and Emory University. His research has been recognized by research grants and fellowships from NIH, NSF, and the Society for Research in Child Development.

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