Physical cognition in altered gravity: Link between sensorimotor and cognitive adaptability

A hallmark of human intelligence is rapid adaptation to changing environments. Yet the link between sensorimotor recalibration to new physical conditions and cognitive updating of internal models remains unclear. We addressed this using altered gravity as a model system. In a within-subject study, 25 adults completed a virtual-reality task requiring motor adjustment to non-terrestrial gravities and an online problem-solving task requiring physical reasoning under matched gravity manipulations. Adaptability in each domain was computed relative to performance under terrestrial gravity. We reveal consistent individual differences in adaptability within the sensorimotor domain and the cognitive domain. We also found a significant correlation across the domains. Participants who better adjusted their movements under altered gravity also more effectively modified their reasoning strategies. Findings support embodied cognition theory, indicating a close coupling between physical interaction and high-level reasoning. The study raises the possibility that training sensorimotor recalibration may enhance abstract reasoning and vice versa.