This fixed-term postdoctoral fellowship will support work on an ESRC supported project entitled “Spontaneous movement to music in toddlers.” Learning to align movement with sound is a crucial skill for social cognition, supporting conversational turn-taking and musical performance. Parents report that 90% of children dance to music by 12 months. The early emergence of dance to music, its cross-cultural ubiquity, and its absence in non-human primates suggests that it is a core element of what it means to be human. However, spontaneous dancing to music in toddlers has not previously been studied in the laboratory. As a result, we know little about the form and function of dance in toddlers. In this project, we will use optical motion tracking and EEG to investigate why and how toddlers dance to music.
The project will use a variety of methods, including EEG, optical motion tracking, and behavioural testing. The ideal candidate will have experience in both EEG and motion tracking, as well as experience with testing infants and/or young children. The successful candidate will a) collaborate in the design and piloting of the experimental protocols and analysis techniques, b) recruit participants, c) conduct testing, d) preprocess and analyse data, and e) lead the write up of study results.
Deadline for applications: December 1st, 2026
For further details and to apply see:
https://cis7.bbk.ac.uk/vacancy/postdoctoral-researcher-622697.html
Best,
--Adam Tierney