In a recent paper published in European Review of Social Psychology, AICE members Roza Kamiloğlu and Disa Sauter examine the landscape of human nonverbal vocalisations, including cries, laughter, moans, screams, and sighs. Using Nico Tinbergen's ethological framework, the authors explore these expressions' functions, evolutionary history, and social significance, mapping how biological predispositions and cultural learning shape each vocalisation. Their review emphasises the distinct roles these vocalisations play in human life: cries elicit caregiving, laughter strengthens social bonds, moans convey internal states, screams signal danger, and sighs help regulate emotions.

The authors call for expanded research across diverse populations to explore these vocalisations' universal and culture-specific aspects. By leveraging citizen science and advanced computational techniques, they envision breakthroughs that could improve our understanding of communication and potentially lead to practical applications, such as early medical diagnosis from infant cries and advancements in speech recognition systems. The paper is accessible online and offers a comprehensive overview of how nonverbal sounds shape human life, enriching our understanding of communication beyond words.