The Sound of Grasp Affordances: Influence of Grasp‐Related Size of Categorized Objects on Vocalization

Abstract

Previous research shows that simultaneously executed grasp and vocalization responses are faster when the precision grip is performed with the vowel [i] and the power grip is performed with the vowel [ɑ]. Research also shows that observing an object that is graspable with a precision or power grip can activate the grip congruent with the object. Given the connection between vowel articulation and grasping, this study explores whether grasp‐related size of observed objects can influence not only grasp responses but also vowel pronunciation. The participants had to categorize small and large objects into natural and manufactured categories by pronouncing the vowel [i] or [ɑ]. As predicted, [i] was produced faster when the object's grasp‐related size was congruent with the precision grip while [ɑ] was produced faster when the size was congruent with the power grip (Experiment 1). The effect was not, however, observed when the participants were presented with large objects that are not typically grasped by the power grip (Experiment 2). This study demonstrates that vowel production is systematically influenced by grasp‐related size of a viewed object, supporting the account that sensory‐motor processes related to grasp planning and representing grasp‐related properties of viewed objects interact with articulation processes. The paper discusses these findings in the context of size–sound symbolism, suggesting that mechanisms that transform size‐grasp affordances into corresponding grasp‐ and articulation‐related motor programs might provide a neural basis for size‐sound phenomena that links small objects with closed‐front vowels and large objects with open‐back vowels.

Magnitude sound symbolism influences vowel production

“…The present view holds that in addition to grounding this common magnitude encoding in the manual gestures, as proposed in the ATOM model, the processes responsible for forming articulatory gestures might also play a role in the system that represents common magnitude information. This proposal is compatible with the findings showing connected motor networks between vocal gestures and manual grasping (Vainio, 2019;Vainio et al, 2019b). Hence, these embodied mechanisms that enable representing abstractions of magnitude information in relation to motor processes of manual and articulatory actions manifest themselves in sound-magnitude symbolism phenomena.…”

Sound-Action Symbolism

“…Fourth (see Figure 2 ), the pronunciation of the vowel [i], in comparison to [ɑ], is facilitated by observing an image of a hand that is shaped into the precision grip closure as compared to the power grip closure ( Vainio et al, 2017a ). Fifth, the pronunciation of the vowel [i], in comparison to [ɑ], is facilitated by an image of an object that is graspable by the precision grip (e.g., a pin) as compared to an object graspable with the power grip (e.g., a bottle; Vainio et al, 2019a ). As such, the sound-grip effect can be assumed to present a sound-action version of sound symbolism in which a particular vocal sign is iconically associated with a motor, perceptual and conceptual representation of a particular hand action.…”

“…[i] responses were produced particularly rapidly when the hand was shaped into the precision grip, and [o] was produced particularly rapidly when the hand was shaped into the power grip. (Right) The RT effect for study published by Vainio et al (2019a) . In the experimental task, the participants were presented with an image of an object whose size was compatible with the precision or power grip.…”

“…Front-close vowels are sound symbolically associated with quick movement, small size, short spatial, and temporal length as well as near distance, while back-open vowels are associated with slow movement, large size, long spatial, and temporal length as well as far distance ( Sapir, 1929 ; Tanz, 1971 ; Cuskley, 2013 ; Rabaglia et al, 2016 ; Bross, 2018 ; Vainio, 2021 ). In addition, just as the ATOM theory grounds generalized magnitude representations in manual actions, in the context of sound symbolism, small magnitudes are linked not only to front-close vowels, but also to precision grasping ( Vainio et al, 2013 , 2017a , 2019a ). Thus, given that mouth gestures and manual gestures are programmed within a combined sensorimotor network (e.g., Arbib, 2005 ; Gentilucci and Corballis, 2006 ; Vainio, 2019 ), it could be assumed – in the light of the ATOM theory – that this mouth-hand network is involved in representing the concept of magnitude in abstracted and generalized from.…”

“…As already mentioned, for instance, the precision grasping is associated with front-close vowels and apical consonants ( Vainio et al, 2013 , 2018 ). Third, perceptual and conceptual processing of an object’s size-grasp affordances not only recruits grasp representations ( Tucker and Ellis, 2001 ; Franca et al, 2012 ) but also appears to recruit vowel production processes ( Vainio et al, 2019a ). Taking this evidence together, it appears that mechanisms that transform size-grasp affordances into corresponding grasp- and articulation-related motor programs might provide a neural basis for sound-magnitude symbolism phenomena.…”