Norms for Constructing Language in Humans and Animals
Freie Universität Berlin
Dr. Robert Ullrich hat Biologie mit Schwerpunkt Neurobiologie und Verhaltensbiologie, sowie Philosophie an der Freien Universität Berlin studiert. Er promovierte am Fachbereich der vergleichenden Entwicklungspsychologie bei Prof. Katja Liebal ebenfalls an der Freien Universität Berlin und veröffentlichte seine Dissertation 2019 ebendort.
Sein Arbeitsschwerpunkt während der Promotionsphase lag auf dem Gebiet des „Meta-Research”. Diese relativ neue Fachdisziplin entwickelte sich im Zuge der sogenannten „replication crisis” im Fachgebiet Psychologie. „Meta-Research“ untersucht mithilfe quantitativer und qualitativer Methoden die Bedingungen wissenschaftlicher Arbeit und Erkenntnis. Die Ergebnisse seiner Dissertation veröffentlichte er in drei Fachzeitschriften und einem Sammelband.
Expertise
- Verhaltensbiologie
- Sprachevolution
- Meta-Wissenschaften
Interessant für
- Verhaltensbiolog*innen
- Vergleichende Entwicklungspsycholog*innen
- Meta-Wissenschaftler*innen
Schlagworte
Meta-Research, Comparative Psychology, Values in Science, Language Evolution, Animal Communication
Zusammenfassung
When investigating the evolution of language, scientists often approach one prominent question: What makes humans human? While researchers might share a common question that motivates them to investigate the origin of language, they do not share a common definition of that original term. The current dissertation hypothesises that definitions of language are ever-changing, temporary constructions which are implicitly informed by historical and social values. By utilising a mixed-methods approach, which combines socio-historical research with quantitative strategies, three examples are investigated: (i) Language defined as speech (oral norm); (ii) Language defined as highest evolutionary achievement (Scala Naturae); (iii) Language defined from its external structure (Behaviourism). The dissertation reveals and illustrates that each of the historical constructions has its problems. Regarding (i), a historical argument from analogy to the deaf discourse reveals prejudices towards nonverbal forms of communication. Addressing (ii), a quantitative text analysis on 915 articles from a time span of 10 years testifies the use of value-laden adjectives in some publications. Analysing (iii), a citation network on 653 articles, published over the time of 69 years, illustrates how the term intention enters a discourse that originates from a behaviouristic era and turned into a cognitive one. The quantitative evidence revealed by the dissertation demonstrates: Science is not, never was and likely never will be free from social and historical influences. That is not a problem. It is a problem, however, to neglect or ignore those influences. The current meta-analysis points to them in order to enable the reader to develop a critical standpoint in relation to the current and past language origin discourse. Hence, providing evidence by systematic investigation of these values is an active contribution to scientific self-correction.
Zitiervorschlag
Repository
refubium.fu-berlin.deIdentifikatoren
■urn:nbn:de:kobv:188-refubium-23890-4
■doi: 10.17169/refubium-1665