Influence of Manner Adverbs on Action Verb Processing

Abstract

Language-motor interaction is suggested by the involvement of motor areas in action-related language processing. In a double-dissociation paradigm we aimed to investigate motor cortical involvement in the processing of hand- and foot-related action verbs combined with manner adverbs. In two experiments using different tasks, subjects were instructed to respond with their hand or foot following the presentation of an adverb-verb combination. Experiment 1, which prompted reactions via color changes of the stimuli combined with a semantic decision, showed an influence of manner adverbs on response times. This was visible in faster responses following intensifying adverbs compared with attenuating adverbs. Additionally, an interaction between implied verb effector and response effector manifested in faster response times for matching verb-response conditions. Experiment 2, which prompted reactions directly by the adverb type (intensifying vs. attenuating), revealed an interaction between manner adverbs and response effector with faster hand responses following intensifying compared with attenuating adverbs. Additional electroencephalography (EEG) recordings in Experiment 2 revealed reduced beta-desynchronization for congruent verb-response conditions in the case of foot responses along with faster response times. Yet, a direct modulation of verb-motor priming by adverbs was not found. Taken together, our results indicate an influence of manner adverbs on the interplay of language processing and motor behavior. Results are discussed with respect to embodied cognition theories.

Flexible and fine-grained simulation of speed in language processing

“…The slower verb recognition in the slow speed condition indicated again that the context can modulate the simulation speed. This result was somewhat in agreement with previous studies indicating that the action simulation in verb processing is flexible ( Bidet-Ildei et al, 2017b ; Sieksmeyer et al, 2021 ). And this result might be attributed to the fact that the originally less certain speed information implied in verbs can be specified by the context.…”

“…The facilitated verb recognition in the first-person perspective fast action sentences compared with that in the first-person perspective slow action sentences seemed to be consistent with previous research which found that action simulation can be modulated by semantic context (e.g., Moody and Gennari, 2010 ; Bidet-Ildei et al, 2017a ; Sieksmeyer et al, 2021 ). One possible explanation for this might be that the fast action sentences were more semantically plausible and familiar than the slow action sentences.…”

“…In addition, Moody and Gennari (2010) found that sentences depicting high-effort action (e.g., “The delivery man is pushing the piano”) led to a stronger activation of the pre-motor cortex, compared to those depicting low-effort action (e.g., “The delivery man is pushing the chair”), which suggested that the simulation of strength required for comprehending the same verb could be modulated by the context. Moreover, in a study carried out by Sieksmeyer et al (2021) , hand-related or foot-related action verbs following intensifying adverbs were processed faster than those following attenuating adverbs, which could be attributed to the fact that manner adverbs modulated the amount of force involved in the action simulations.…”