# Citation Flora Vanlangendonck, Willems, R.M. (Roel), Hagoort, P. (Peter) (2018). Taking common ground into account: Specifying the role of the mentalizing network in communicative language production [Data set]. http://hdl.handle.net/11633/di.dccn.DSC_3011038.02_274. # Abstract Several studies have shown that communicative language production as compared to non-communicative language production recruits parts of the mentalizing or theory of mind network, yet the exact role of this network in communication remains underspecified. In this study, we therefore aimed to test under what conditions the mentalizing network contributes to communicative language production. We were especially interested in distinguishing between situations in which speakers have to consider which information they do or do not share with their addressee (common vs. privileged ground information). We therefore manipulated whether speakers had to distinguish between common and privileged ground in order to communicate efficiently with the listener, in addition to comparing language production in a communicative and a non-communicative context. Participants performed a referential communicative game in the MRI-scanner as well as a similar, non-communicative task. We found that the medial prefrontal cortex, a core region of the mentalizing network, is especially sensitive to communicative contexts in which speakers have to take their addressee’s needs into account in order to communicate efficiently. In addition, we found neural differences between the communicative and the non-communicative settings before speakers started to plan their utterances, suggesting that they continuously update common ground in a communicative context. # Background information You can find more information, including relevant publications pertaining to this dataset on the collection overview page at http://hdl.handle.net/11633/di.dccn.DSC_3011038.02_274. A complete list of files that are part of this dataset can be found in the file MANIFEST.txt, including a SHA256 hash for each file to allow verification of correct data transfer. # Restrictions on data access and reuse The access to and use of this dataset is only allowed under the conditions listed in the data use agreement, as detailed in the file LICENSE.txt. Neither the Donders Institute or Radboud University, nor the researchers that provide this dataset should be included as an author of publications or presentations if this authorship would be based solely on the use of this data. However, we ask you to acknowledge the use of the data and data derived from the data when publicly presenting any results or algorithms that benefitted from their use: 1) Papers, book chapters, books, posters, oral presentations, and all other presentations of results derived from the data should acknowledge the origin of the data as follows: "Data were provided (in part) by the Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen". 2) Authors of publications or presentations using the data should cite relevant publications describing the methods developed and used by the Donders Institute to acquire and process the data. The specific publications that are appropriate to cite in any given study will depend on what the data were used for and for what purposes. When applicable, a list of publications will be specified on the collection overview page.