GoldinMeadow

Goldin-Meadow refers to Susan Goldin-Meadow, a prominent psychologist and linguist whose research has focused on gesture and language development. Her work examines how gesture and speech interact to communicate and to shape thinking, and how spontaneous gesture can reveal underlying knowledge that might not be accessible through speech alone.

Gesture-speech mismatch: In young children, there are instances in which the gestures convey ideas that differ from what they say aloud. Goldin-Meadow and colleagues have shown that such mismatches can predict learning gains following instruction, and that gestures can facilitate the acquisition of new concepts.

Homesign: Studies of deaf children who grow up without exposure to a conventional sign language have documented the emergence of homesign systems—idiosyncratic, language-like gestural systems that users develop to communicate with others. These findings demonstrate the human capacity to create structured communication without a shared linguistic input.

Broader impact: Her research has influenced theories of language development, cognitive psychology, and education, and has informed approaches to language intervention and early childhood learning. She has authored numerous articles and books that are widely cited in multiple disciplines.

Goldin-Meadow's work continues to inspire research on the connections between gesture, language, and thought, highlighting gesture as an integral part of human communication and cognition.