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Embodiment and abstraction: actions create relational representations.

Jeremiah J Trudeau1, James A Dixon

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-1020, USA. jaytrudeau@gmail.com

Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|December 20, 2007
PubMed
Summary
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Embodied cognition theories suggest actions create meaning. This study shows patterns of actions, not single actions, ground higher-order concepts like alternation, supporting embodied theories.

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Embodied Cognition
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Embodied, modal representation theories posit concepts are grounded in sensorimotor systems, where action generates meaning.
  • Higher-order relations (e.g., alternation) pose a challenge due to their lack of direct sensorimotor analogs.
  • Previous work indicated simulated motion in gear problems led to discovering the 'alternation' relation from action traces.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if patterns of action, rather than single actions, can serve as the basis for understanding higher-order relations within embodied cognition.
  • To determine if the quantity of sensorimotor experiences influences the generalization of abstract concepts.

Main Methods:

  • Participants engaged in tasks requiring simulated motion, potentially generating episodic traces of actions.

Related Experiment Videos

  • The study measured the number of alternating actions recalled from episodic memory before participants discovered the alternation relation.
  • Generalization of the discovered relation to novel problem types was assessed.

    • Main Results:

    • The number of alternating actions in episodic memory significantly predicted the generalization of the alternation relation.
    • This suggests that the frequency and memory of action patterns are crucial for understanding higher-order abstract concepts.
    • Sensorimotor experiences can indeed form the representational basis for complex relational concepts.

    Conclusions:

    • Findings support embodied theories by demonstrating that patterns of action, stored in episodic memory, can ground higher-order relations.
    • The study highlights the role of action sequences and their memory traces in the development of abstract conceptual understanding.
    • Sensorimotor systems are capable of supporting abstract thought beyond simple action-perception loops.