Action modulated cognition: the influence of sensori-motor experience on the global processing bias

Whether we are aware of it or not, cognition is inherently biased. Researchers have attempted to modulate these biases using prism adaptation in both healthy and patient populations. Recent research suggests that prisms themselves might not be necessary; simply interacting with one side of space can produce similar effects (Dupierrix, Alleysson, Ohlmann and Chokron (2008). Brain Research, 1214, 127-135). Here we tested whether sensori-motor interaction with the environment affects aspects of cognition that should at first glance appear to be unrelated. While previous research involved tasks that were largely directional in nature (e.g., line bisection), we chose a task without a directional component, the hierarchical figures task (Navon, (1977). Cognitive Psychology, 9, 353-383). In a sample of healthy young adults, we found that after 5min of lateralized pointing (pointing solely to the left or right side of space), performance on the hierarchical figures task varied significantly as a function of pointing direction: interference from irrelevant global information increased after interacting with the left side of space and decreased after interacting with the right side of space. We discuss the results in relation to a "hemispheric imbalance" hypothesis. Our findings demonstrate that cognition can be readily influenced by interactions with the environment even without artificially distorting normal perceptuo-motor relationships.