Manual actions affect vocalizations of infants

Bernardis, P. de; Bello, Arianna; Pettenati, Paola; Stefanini, Silvia; Gentilucci, Maurizio

doi:10.1007/s00221-007-1256-x

Cited by 35 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…In line with theories suggesting gestures may represent the phylogenetic origin of human speech (Corballis, 2003, 2009, 2010; Gentilucci and Corballis, 2006; Gentilucci et al, 2006; Bernardis et al, 2008), gestures might represent the basis of spatial or action representations in human language [for example, see Tettamanti and Moro (2011)]. Such spatial elements transferred into speech and gestures could be an expression of how our language is rooted in embodied experiences (Gibbs, 1996; Lakoff, 1987).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 81%

The role of semantic abstractness and perceptual category in processing speech accompanied by gestures

Nagels

Chatterjee

Kircher

et al. 2013

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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Space and shape are distinct perceptual categories. In language, perceptual information can also be used to describe abstract semantic concepts like a “rising income” (space) or a “square personality” (shape). Despite being inherently concrete, co-speech gestures depicting space and shape can accompany concrete or abstract utterances. Here, we investigated the way that abstractness influences the neural processing of the perceptual categories of space and shape in gestures. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that the neural processing of perceptual categories is highly dependent on language context. In a two-factorial design, we investigated the neural basis for the processing of gestures containing shape (SH) and spatial information (SP) when accompanying concrete (c) or abstract (a) verbal utterances. During fMRI data acquisition participants were presented with short video clips of the four conditions (cSP, aSP, cSH, aSH) while performing an independent control task. Abstract (a) as opposed to concrete (c) utterances activated temporal lobes bilaterally and the left inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for both shape-related (SH) and space-related (SP) utterances. An interaction of perceptual category and semantic abstractness in a more anterior part of the left IFG and inferior part of the posterior temporal lobe (pTL) indicates that abstractness strongly influenced the neural processing of space and shape information. Despite the concrete visual input of co-speech gestures in all conditions, space and shape information is processed differently depending on the semantic abstractness of its linguistic context.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 81%

The role of semantic abstractness and perceptual category in processing speech accompanied by gestures

Nagels

Chatterjee

Kircher

et al. 2013

Front. Behav. Neurosci.

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“…Namely, there appears to be a strong evolutionary connection between language and the motor system. This connection may reflect how the mirror neuron system plays a role in gestural communication and vocal communication [64].Compelling evidence for this connection comes from studies reported by Gentilucci and colleagues (e.g., [65]–[66]), who demonstrate interference between manual and oral activity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Motor System Contributes to Comprehension of Abstract Language

et al. 2013

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If language comprehension requires a sensorimotor simulation, how can abstract language be comprehended? We show that preparation to respond in an upward or downward direction affects comprehension of the abstract quantifiers “more and more” and “less and less” as indexed by an N400-like component. Conversely, the semantic content of the sentence affects the motor potential measured immediately before the upward or downward action is initiated. We propose that this bidirectional link between motor system and language arises because the motor system implements forward models that predict the sensory consequences of actions. Because the same movement (e.g., raising the arm) can have multiple forward models for different contexts, the models can make different predictions depending on whether the arm is raised, for example, to place an object or raised as a threat. Thus, different linguistic contexts invoke different forward models, and the predictions constitute different understandings of the language.

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“…In many instances, it would be reasonable to assume that individuals primarily interested in the emotions of the actor will look at the actor’s face. An actor’s hands provide essential information about action goals (Falck‐Ytter, Gredebäck & von Hofsten, 2006) and action systems and language systems have a common basis in the brain (Bernardis, Bello, Pettenati, Stefanini & Gentilucci, 2008; Fischer & Zwaan, 2008; Rizzolatti & Arbib, 1998). Thus, one might expect that individuals who are better at communication via language than they are at understanding emotions will look more at the action (hand and object) than the face of an actor performing manual actions, given that the actor is not speaking.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Face scanning distinguishes social from communication impairments in autism

Falck‐Ytter

Fernell²,

Gillberg³

et al. 2010

Developmental Science

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How closely related are the social and communicative impairments in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)? Recent findings in typically developing children suggest that both types of impairment are highly heritable but have only moderate behavioural and genetic overlap. So far, their respective roles in social perception are poorly understood. Here we show that when looking at other people's faces, children with ASD who are better at socio-emotional behaviours than non-verbal communication look more at the eyes, while those with the opposite profile look more at the mouth (Study 1). For the mouth area, a similar pattern was observed for inverted faces, suggesting that information from this area is perceived on a featural basis. In Study 2, we found that when shown a person performing manual actions, 'eye-lookers' from Study 1 tended to look most at the face of the actor, while 'mouth-lookers' from Study 1 tended to look at the action itself (hand/objects). This result was found in both ASD and typical development. In Study 3, the main finding in Study 1 was replicated in a new sample. Taken together, we interpret these results as supporting the view that the neural systems underlying socio-emotional versus non-verbal communication skills are separable, a finding that has important theoretical and clinical implications. The results also suggest that a similar differentiation of looking behaviour may operate in normal development.

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Manual actions affect vocalizations of infants

Cited by 35 publications

References 20 publications

The role of semantic abstractness and perceptual category in processing speech accompanied by gestures

The role of semantic abstractness and perceptual category in processing speech accompanied by gestures

The Motor System Contributes to Comprehension of Abstract Language

Face scanning distinguishes social from communication impairments in autism

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