Functional Features in Language and Space

The 'language and space' area is a relatively new research area in cognitive science. Studying how language and spatial representation are linked in the human brain mainly draws on research in existing disciplines focusing on language, perception, categorization and development. Representative researchers from these sub-disciplines of cognitive science discuss new insights in their own field of expertise and show what role their definition of 'function', 'feature', or 'functional feature' plays in their research. New research centered around these concepts is on the forefront of developments in these sub-disciplines and in the area of 'Language and Space'.

Laura Carlson is Associate Professor in Psychology at the University of Notre Dame. Her publications include journal articles published in Psychological Science, Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human, Perception and Performance,Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory and Cognition and Journal of Memory and Language. Emile van der Zee is Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Lincoln. His publications include Cognitive Interfaces: Constraints on Linking Cognitive Information (2000, with Urpo Nikanne), and Representing Direction in Language and Space (2003, with Jon Slack) both published by Oxford University Press.