9. bis 11. November 2007. The Neuropsychological Gesture Classification. Introductory and Training Workshops. Hedda Lausberg and Jana Bryjová. In collaboration with Projektron / Die Neuropsychologische Gestenklassifikation. Einführungs-Workshop und Trainings-Workshop. Hedda Lausberg und Jana Bryjová. In Zusammenarbeit mit Projektron.

Berlin Gesture Center, in collaboration with Projektron

The Neuropsychological Gesture Classification. Introductory and Training Workshops
Die Neuropsychologische Gestenklassifikation. Einführungs-Workshop und Trainings-Workshop

Berlin, November 9 – 11, 2007
With Hedda Lausberg and Jana Bryjová

The neuropsychological gesture classification (NGC) has been developed on the basis of gesture types that gesture researchers of different scientific disciplines had agreed on (e.g. Liepmann, 1907; Efron, 1941; Freedman, 1972; Ekman & Friesen, 1979; Davis, 1991; McNeill, 1992).

The NGC consists of twenty-two gesture types that are defined by specific combinations of kinetic features including hand shape, hand position, path, efforts, planes, kinesphere, gesture space, involvement of body parts other than hands, and gaze. The objectivity of the gesture types is high (rater agreement Cohen’s k .87). The theoretical assumption behind the NGC is that the gesture types represent different cognitive or emotional functions and thus, that they are generated in different locations in the brain. Further, it is assumed that specific brain lesions or mental diseases are associated with deficits in the conceptualization and execution of specific gesture types. The validity of the gesture types is examined with neuroscientific studies (split-brain studies and neuroimaging studies).

The NGC enables to classify gestures based on their kinetic features alone, i.e., without sound. As a behavioral method, the system can be used for a broad range of test designs ranging from the examination of spontaneous gesture production in everyday conversation to the structured elicitation of gestures by stimuli. Because of the broad spectrum of phenomena that can be coded, the high objectivity, and its adaptation to the movement analysis software ELAN, the NGC can be used for qualitative and quantitative research.