Understanding how people produce multiple sentences in conversation

Multi-Utterance Language Production

NIH-funded research University of California at Davis · NIH-10837810

This study looks at how both kids and adults tell stories or give directions by figuring out how they organize their thoughts into clear speech, especially when talking about complicated scenes.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of California at Davis NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Davis, United States)
Project IDNIH-10837810 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how individuals generate multiple utterances when telling stories or giving directions, focusing on both children and adults. It aims to understand the cognitive processes involved in organizing thoughts into coherent sequences of speech, particularly in complex real-world scenarios. By analyzing how attention is allocated to different elements in a scene, the study seeks to establish developmental benchmarks for language production. Participants will engage with intricate visual scenes to explore how they describe these scenes verbally.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research include children and adults who are interested in language development and communication.

Not a fit: Patients who do not use language or have severe cognitive impairments may not benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could enhance our understanding of language development and improve communication strategies for individuals with language disorders.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown success in understanding single utterance production, but this approach to multi-utterance language production is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Davis, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.