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Related Experiment Videos

What do the hands externalize in simple arithmetic?

Richard A Carlson1, Marios N Avraamides, Melanie Cary

  • 1Department of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA. racarlson@psu.edu

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
|June 20, 2007
PubMed
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Using hands for simple math tasks, like pointing, enhances accuracy and speed. This research suggests gestures, including hand movements, play a crucial role in cognitive processes and memory.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Human-Computer Interaction
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • The role of embodied cognition in human reasoning and problem-solving is an emerging area of research.
  • Previous studies have hinted at the connection between physical actions and cognitive performance, but the precise mechanisms remain under investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the functional role of hand gestures, specifically pointing, in supporting simple arithmetic tasks.
  • To explore whether the benefits of using hands extend beyond mere visual augmentation, potentially serving deeper cognitive functions.

Main Methods:

  • Four experiments were conducted involving participants performing simple arithmetic tasks.
  • Tasks included counting arrays of items, with and without the ability to use hands for pointing or manipulation.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Behavioral measures such as accuracy, speed, and secondary actions like head nodding were recorded.

    • Main Results:

    • Pointing significantly increased both accuracy and speed in counting tasks, regardless of item distinctiveness.
    • Head nodding, observed when pointing was restricted, correlated with improved accuracy, suggesting a non-visual cognitive function.
    • Speech patterns changed when hand manipulation of tokens was altered, indicating a link between motor control and cognitive processing.

    Conclusions:

    • Hand gestures, particularly pointing, serve a functional cognitive role in supporting arithmetic tasks by aiding in the binding of representational elements.
    • The findings support theories of embodied cognition, where physical actions like gestures act as phase markers for cyclic cognitive processes.
    • Hands and gestures are integral to cognitive functions, influencing how information is processed and manipulated during problem-solving.