People

Melodie Bellegarda

PhD students

I am currently finishing my PhD in Experimental Psychology at the University of Granada (with funding from an FPU fellowship). I have been involved with the Memory and Language Research Group at the Mind, Brain, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC) since 2019. During my PhD I have had the opportunity to complete two research stays at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (Belgium) and the Université de Lille (France).

My PhD research focuses on vocabulary learning in a foreign language, specifically how multi-modal contexts (acoustic and visual modalities) can facilitate word acquisition by enriching the learning environment. What is the impact of environmental sounds on novel word recall and semantic integration? What are the shared neurocognitive traces related to novel word processing and congruent sound processing? These are a few of the overarching questions that encapsulate my PhD project. I use behavioral and EEG methods to explore these questions.

Other projects I have worked on include:

cognitive control in bilinguals
fast-mapping implicit word learning strategies
phonological adaptation during social interaction

Publications

Conference Presentations

Poster presentations

2024. Bellegarda, M., García-Gámez, A.B., & Macizo, P. Effects of a multimodal auditory environment on vocabulary acquisition. 14th SEPEX Conference. 23 – 25 October. Almería (Spain).

2024. Bellegarda, M., García-Gámez, A.B., & Macizo, P. A multimodal exploration of auditory effects on foreign language vocabulary acquisition: An EEG study. Highlights in the Language Sciences. 8 – 11 July. Nijmegen (Netherlands).

2024. Brunellière, A., Bellegarda, M., Boddaert, G., Dufour, S., & Knutsen, D. To what extent is a new phonemic contrast perceived after a social interaction? Examining the nature of phonological adaptations within a native language. Highlights in the Language Sciences. 8 – 11 July. Nijmegen (Netherlands).

2023. Bellegarda, M., Boddaert, G., Dufour, S., Knutsen, D., & Brunellière, A. Can social interaction give rise to the perception and production of a new phonemic contrast? A behavioral and EEG study in a French regional variety. XVI International Symposium of Psycholinguistics. 31 May – 2 June. Vitoria-Gasteiz (Spain).
2023. Bajo, T., Bellegarda, M., García-Gámez, A., López-Rojas, C., Macizo, P., Marful, A., Paolieri, D., Reyes, M., & Rivera, M. Building a multilingual brain: Research in acquisition of a second language and its cognitive implications. VI Investigation Symposium at the CIMCYC. 11 – 12 May. Granada (Spain).
2022. Bellegarda, M., & Macizo, P. The impact of non-linguistic environmental sounds on novel word learning. 22nd conference of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCoP). 19 August – 1 September. Lille (France).
2022. Bajo, T., Bellegarda, M., Iniesta, A., López-Rojas, C., Marful, A., Paolieri, D., Reyes, M., & Rivera, M. Divulgando desde la evidencia científica. V Investigation Symposium at the CIMCYC. 19 – 20 May. Granada (Spain).
2022. Bellegarda, M., & Macizo, P. Exploring cognitive control and bilingualism through behavioral and electrophysiological methods. 13th APPE-SEPEX Conference. 5 – 7 May. Faro (Portugal).
2021. Bellegarda, M., Iniesta A., López-Rojas, C., Reyes, M., & Rivera, M. ¿Cómo conviven varios idiomas en el cerebro? Transfiriendo la investigación desde el laboratorio a la sociedad. IV Investigation Symposium at the CIMCYC. 20 – 21 May. Granada (Spain).

Oral presentations

2021. Bellegarda, M., & Macizo, P. Do everyday sounds facilitate vocabulary learning? 1st Interuniversity Symposium (University of Granada and University of Malaga) for Psychology Doctoral Students. 5 – 6 June. Granada (Spain).
2020. Bellegarda, M., & Macizo, P. New word learning with musical paradigms. Psychology Doctoral Program Talks. 28 October. Granada (Spain).

Outreach

2024. Winner of the University of Nebrija «Tu tesis en 3 minutos» [3 Minute Thesis] Competition. Link to presentation (in Spanish).
2020 – Present. Member of Bilingualism Matters at Ugr, Spanish branch in Granada
- Organization that raises awareness about the social, cognitive and linguistic benefits of bilingualism and second language learning, and to shares expertise of members with schools, policy-makers and the local community.

2020 – 2021. Participation in dissemination project titled «How do languages co-exist in the brain? Relaying evidence from the laboratory to our society» funded by Spanish Foundation of Science and Technology (FECYT) and the Ministry of Science and Innovation. (Grant: FCT19-15358) / University of Granada. Project head: Teresa Bajo.
- Events included workshops with elementary students in Granada, open house days at the Mind, Brain, Behavioral and Research Center (CIMCYC), webinars for families of bilingual children, dissemination talks, dissemination videos (Youtube channel link), and updating our website (link here).

Scientific responsabilities

Co-supervisor of theses (50 hours).
- 2024. María Nazaret Aguilar Fernández, Bachelor’s in Speech Language Therapy (University of Granada). Thesis title: ¿Cómo aprender vocabulario en una lengua extranjera de manera exitosa? [How to successfully learn vocabulary in a foreign language]. 20 June. Granada (Spain).