Higher empathy predicts more manual pointing in Tibetan people

Abstract Previous research has suggested a link between levels of empathic engagement and the frequency and saliency of certain gestural forms, notably conduit and palm-revealing gestures. The present research investigates if these patterns are also observable in the use of pointing gestures within Tibetan communities, an underrepresented population in linguistics and cognitive science studies. To address this query, we implemented a referential communication task to elicit pointing behavior. This paradigm required participants to harness a repertoire of pointing techniques in order to facilitate the accurate assembly of intricate toy block configurations. The results showed that like many other cultural populations, Tibetan participants showed an overall preference for manual over non-manual pointing gestures at least within a controlled laboratory environment. However, Tibetan participants with higher levels of empathy produced manual pointing more often compared to those with low empathy. Notably, the two groups showed no difference in the mean number of non-manual pointing. These findings underscore the significance of integrating individual differences in investigating pointing preferences and, more broadly, enhance our understanding of the predictors of gesture use in human communication.