12 Questions
What is the concept of embodied cognition?
Cognition is largely grounded on the perceptual and motor systems
What is the Action-Sentence Compatibility Effect?
Faster response when action performed by the participant was congruent with the action described in the sentence
What does the Sandwich Model of cognition propose?
Cognition is sandwiched between perception and action
What did the multi-lab, preregistered replication attempt of the Action-Sentence Compatibility Effect find?
Failure to replicate, including in the crucial liftoff time measure
What does Strong Versions of Embodied Cognition suggest?
Cognition is entirely grounded in sensorimotor processes
What happens in the brain when we read words like 'lick', 'pick', and 'kick'?
Areas in the brain associated with the corresponding actions are activated
According to research, how are abstract concepts understood?
By way of metaphor grounded in sensorimotor experiences
Which of the following studies found no evidence of conceptual metaphor activation during idiom processing?
Miller et al. (2020)
Which of the following is not a characteristic of abstract conceptual information?
It shows early sensorimotor activation
Which of the following metaphors is used to understand the abstract concept of anger?
ANGER IS A HEATED FLUID IN A CONTAINER
According to Marmolejo-Ramos et al. (2018), how do people allocate concepts to spatial areas of a 3D cube?
In a way that is aligned with conceptual metaphors
Which of the following studies found no early sensorimotor activation for abstract concepts?
Dalla Volta et al. (2014)
Study Notes
Abstract Concepts vs. Concrete Concepts
- Abstract conceptual information does not heavily rely on sensorimotor areas.
- No early sensorimotor activation was found in a study by Dalla Volta et al. (2014).
- No interference was observed due to TMS impulses in a study by Innocenti et al. (2014).
Conceptual Metaphors
- Abstract concepts are understood through metaphor, grounded in sensorimotor experiences (Lakoff & Johnson, 1999).
- Examples of conceptual metaphors include "ANGER IS HEATED FLUID IN A CONTAINER" and "Grasp an idea" = "Grasp a cup".
- Conceptual metaphors can elicit same motor cortical area activation (Boulenger et al., 2009).
- However, this may be limited to less familiar metaphors (Aziz-Zadeh et al., 2006).
- People tend to allocate concepts to spatial areas of a 3D cube in a way that aligns with conceptual metaphors (Marmolejo-Ramos et al., 2018).
Embodied Cognition
- The traditional view of cognition is that it is abstract, stable, and similar.
- The Sandwich Model: cognition is sandwiched between perception and action.
- Barsalou (2012) proposes Flexible Embodied Cognition: cognition is largely grounded on perceptual and motor systems.
- Strong Versions of Embodied Cognition: cognition is entirely grounded in sensorimotor processes, replacing the need for complex internal mental representations.
Evidence for Embodied Cognition
- Action-Sentence Compatibility Effect: faster response when action performed by the participant is congruent with the action described in the sentence (Glenberg & Kaschak, 2002).
- Sensorimotor system involvement: reading action-related words activates areas in the brain associated with the corresponding actions (Hauk et al., 2004).
- TMS of somatosensory cortex facilitates recognition of action verbs involving movement of the respective extremities (Pulvermuller et al., 2005).
Reflection and Questions
- Does intelligence require a body?
- To understand the world, we must experience the world.
- What do mental representations of concepts look like?
- What about abstract concepts?
Test your knowledge on the concept of Embodied Cognition and mental representations. Explore theories on how cognition is influenced by perception and action, as well as the traditional view of abstract concepts.
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