Social Communication and Neuroscience Lab

About

The Social Communication and Neuroscience Lab, under the leadership of Dr. Kathrin Rothermich, studies the intersection of communication sciences and disorders, cognitive neuroscience, and neurolinguistics. Situated within the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at East Carolina University, our lab is dedicated to advancing the understanding of communication and emotion processing across auditory, visual, and nonverbal modalities.

Our research focuses on the mechanisms underlying speech accommodation among first and second language learners, as well as investigating the sarcasm and emotion processing in individuals with and without Parkinson’s Disease. Leveraging a comprehensive multi-method approach, our work integrates behavioral assessments, eye-tracking, neuroimaging, and brain stimulation techniques. We also consider important factors such as cultural background, personality traits, and social anxiety to provide a holistic understanding of social communication dynamics. Our research is supported by funding from the National Science Foundation and the Parkinson’s Foundation.