Research

Research Priorities: Cognitive science, psycholinguistics and neurolinguistics, language development, language architecture, temporal structure of language processing

Angela D. Friederici is a German linguist, psychologist and neuroscientist. She explores how humans learn languages and how language is represented in the brain on multiple levels. The scientist uses various illustrative methods for this, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in order to understand how the brain processes speech information. Her research is particularly focused on the role of the Broca and Wernicke areas in the speech process and the interaction between these two brain regions.

Together with her working group, Angela D. Friederici also characterised the special role of the arcuate fasciculus, a nerve fibre bundle connecting the upper temporal lobe to the Broca area. Both of these structures play a major role in processing grammar, while the Wernicke area is responsible for language comprehension. In another experiment, the researchers investigated how many myelin layers were wrapped around the nerve endings of the arcuate fasciculus, They found that during development the degree of myelination of the arcuate fasciculus correlates with the ability to process grammatically complex sentences. The findings support the idea that language capabilities are acquired at intervals in the brain maturation phase spanning childhood and adolescence.

Angela Friederici’s research showed that the arcuate fasciculus is more pronounced in all adult brains and varies minimally depending on the language world in which a person grows up. This conclusion supports the linguist Noam Chomsky’s concept that there is an innate universal system for grammar. These fibre connections are much less pronounced in monkeys. While chimpanzees and macaques can learn words, they cannot form phrase-like combinations.

The pronounced arcuate fasciculus could also be the reason why humans are especially successful at understanding what others think and how they might react, an ability known as “Theory of Mind” which is acquired in early childhood.

Angela D. Friederici also investigates the genetic foundations of normal language development in order to analyse disorders of these complex processes. In doing so the scientist tracks both individual genes as well as gene networks in order to understand the complexity of speech development.

The role of experiences during language development is also a focus. She researches how children’s language acquisition is influenced by the interaction with their environment and their experiences. In this respect Angela D. Friederici is also interested in how children acquire language in multilingual surroundings.

Her multi-faceted research has significantly contributed to a deeper understanding of the complex interactions between the genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors which form the long process of language acquisition. Her research also lays the foundation for a better understanding of language disorders and possible approaches to counteract them. By means of her interdisciplinary approach as a linguist, psychologist and neuroscientist, Angela D. Friederici has successfully managed to bridge the gap between the humanities and natural science.

Career

• since 2004 Honorary Professor, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• since 1997 Honorary Professor, Department of Philosophy II (today: Department of Linguistics), University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
• 1996-2007 Director, Centre of Cognitive Sciences (ZfK), Centre for Advanced Studies (ZHS), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
• since 1995 Honorary Professor, Faculty of Biosciences, Pharmacy and Psychology (today: Faculty of Life Science), University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
• since 1994 Founding Director, Scientific Member and Member of Board of Directors, Leipzig Max Planck Institute of Cognitive NeuroScience (since 2004: Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences), Leipzig, Germany
• 1993-1994 Executive Director, Institute of Psychology, Freie Universität (FU) Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• 1991-1994 University Professor for General Psychology, FU Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• 1989-1991 University Professor for Psychology (specialising in cognitive sciences), FU Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• 1988 Research Stay, Center for Cognitive Science, University of California San Diego (UCSD), La Jolla, USA
• 1986 Habilitation in Psychology, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
• 1984-1985 Université René Descartes, Laboratoire de Psychologie Experimentale, Paris, France
• 1980 Diploma in Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
• 1979-1989 Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
• 1978-1979 Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, USA and VA Medical Center and Department of Neurology, Aphasia Research Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, USA
• 1976 PhD in German Philology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
• 1975-1980 Degree in Psychology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
• 1974-1978 Research Associate, Psychiatry, psychotherapy and neurology for children, adolescents and adults, Rheinische Landesklinik für Sprachgestörte, Landschaftsverband Rheinland (LVR)-Klinik Bonn, Bonn, Germany
• 1970-1976 Degree in German Philology, Romance Philology and Linguistic Sciences, Bonn, Germany and Lausanne, Switzerland

Functions

• 2021-2022 Member, Commission, Kavli Prize in Neuroscience, Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters, Norway
• since 2018 Member, Einstein Center for Neurosciences Berlin (ECN), Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• 2016 Scientific Board “Crossing Boundaries in Science 2016”, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 2014-2020 Vice President and Member of Senate and Executive Committee, Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Science (MPG) Munich, Germany
• 2012-2015 Chairperson, Scientific Commission, The Einstein Foundation, Berlin, Germany
• 2011-2012 Vice Chairperson, Scientific Commission, The Einstein Foundation, Berlin, Germany
• 2010-2013 Representative of the Human Sciences Section, Scientific Council for Checking the Leadership Capabilities of Scientific Members, MPG, Munich, Germany
• 2009-2011 Vice Chairperson, Committee of Non-university Research Institutions in Health Research, Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), Germany
• 2006-2009 Member, Senate Committee on Research Planning, MPG, Munich, Germany
• 2006-2009 Chairperson, Scientific Council, MPG, Munich, Germany
• 2005-2007 Vice President, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities (BBAW), Berlin, Germany
• 2003-2010 Member, Council, BMBF, Germany
• 2003-2009 Member, Intersectional Committee, MPG, Munich, Germany
• 2002-2009 Member, Senate, MPG, Munich, Germany
• 1996-2001 Member, Senate, German Research Foundation (DFG), Germany
• 1994-1998 Member, Board of Directors, BBAW, Berlin, Germany

Honours and Memberships

• 2023 William James Fellow Award, Association for Psychological Science, Washington, USA
• 2021 Huttenlocher Award, Flux Society, Pennsylvania, USA
• 2019 Justine and Yves Sergent Award, Justine and Yves Sergent Fund, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Canada
• 2018 Wilhelm Wundt Medal, German Psychological Society, Germany
• 2018 Order of Merit, Free State of Saxony, Germany
• 2011 Carl Friedrich Gauß Medal, Braunschweig Scientific Society (BWG), Braunschweig, Germany
• 2011 Honorary Doctorate, University of Mons, Mons, Belgium
• 2010-2011 Research Fellow, Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, USA
• 2010 Johannes Gutenberg Endowed Professorship, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
• since 2007 Member, Academia Europaea
• since 2000 Member, German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina, Germany
• 1999-2000 DaimlerChrysler Fellowship, Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
• 1997 Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Award, DFG, Germany
• since 1993 Member, BBAW, Berlin, Germany