A moving story: Whole-body motor training selectively improves the appraisal of action meanings in naturalistic narratives

Abstract

This study examined whether systematic whole-body stimulation and increased attention to visuospatial motion patterns can enhance the appraisal of action meanings evoked by naturalistic texts. Participants listened to action and neutral (non-action) narratives before and after videogame-based bodily training, and responded to questions on information realized by verbs (denoting abstract and action processes) and circumstances (conveying locative or temporal details, for example). Strategically, we worked with dyslexic children, whose potential comprehension deficits could give room to post-training improvements. Results showed a selective boost in understanding of action information, even when controlling for baseline performance. Also, this effect proved uninfluenced by short-term memory skills, and it was absent when training relied on non-action videogames requiring minimal bodily engagement. Of note, the movements described in the texts did not match those performed by participants, suggesting that well-established effector- and direction-specific language embodiment effects may be accompanied by more coarse-grained sensorimotor resonance, driven by activation of motor and visuospatial sensory systems. In sum, the stimulation of movement-related mechanisms seems to selectively boost the appraisal of actions evoked by naturalistic texts. By demonstrating such links between two real-life activities, our study offers an empirical tie between embodied and situated accounts of cognition.

The Embodied Penman: Effector‐Specific Motor–Language Integration During Handwriting

“…This would indicate that effector‐specific motor–language coupling is not influenced by task‐specific practice or dexterity. Although motor training can affect action–semantic integration (Glenberg et al, ; Trevisan, Sedeño, Birba, Ibáñez, & García, ), it seems that such factor does not affect the scope of embodiment effects on handwriting. This might be so because handwriting is an early acquired, highly automatized skill, so that variability in (post‐acquisition) daily practice would have little bearing on associated motor–language coupling effects.…”

“…At the same time, our study carries an important methodological implication for handwriting studies in general: Given that fine‐grained semantic aspects of the target words can modulate writing kinematics, it seems crucial to control the ratio of action‐to‐non‐action words in an experiment’s stimulus sets, as gross outcomes could be partially driven by inconspicuous embodied effects differing between conditions. Moreover, this consideration could be contemplated in future studies extending our paradigm beyond the single‐word level, so as to explore language‐embodiment effects on more realistic linguistic materials (Desai et al, ; García et al, ; Trevisan et al, ).…”

Progressive Compromise of Nouns and Action Verbs in Posterior Cortical Atrophy

“…Whereas the embodied framework has incorporated a diachronic dimension thanks to relevant studies on child development ( Glenberg et al, 2011 ; Wellsby and Pexman, 2014 ; Marshall, 2016 ), such a perspective is missing from models of adult embodied cognition. Given that sustained motor activity is causally related to action-language comprehension (e.g., Trevisan et al, 2017 ), reduced motility in the elderly could be expected to decrease the reliance of action-verb processing on putative motor networks. Our findings suggest that this is not the case, even when less psycholinguistically accessible word classes are significantly affected.…”

Embodied Perspectives on Behavioral Cognitive Enhancement

“…In summary, embodied interactions with learning materials during didactic interventions have demonstrated their effectiveness at enhancing learning outcomes across the developmental time line. The usefulness of insights from embodied cognition in didactic settings is supported by the evidence for an effect of relevant movements on cognitive performance (e.g., Kontra et al, 2015) and of generalized movement for therapy outcomes in patients with language disorders (e.g., Trevisan et al, 2017). The evidence reviewed supports the role of physical interaction and interactive tools not only in learning the targeted information, but also in developing a scientific mindset, which is of primary relevance to STEM research and education in general.…”