Cognition embodied: mental rotation is faster for objects that imply a greater body–object interaction. Issue 8 (17th November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Suggate, Sebastian; Lehmann, Jennifer; Stoeger, Heidrun; Jansen, Petra
• Is Part Of: Journal of cognitive psychology. Volume 31:Issue 8(2019)
• Page Start: 876
• Page End: 890
• Publication Date: 2019-11-17
• Subjects: Mental rotation -- fine motor skills -- embodied cognition -- body–object interaction -- grounded cognition; Cognitive psychology -- Periodicals; 153.05
• DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2019.1678627
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2044-5911

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Mental imagery constitutes internal simulations of the external environment, which, according to theories of embodied cognition, is affected by sensorimotor processes. Accordingly, we test the influence on mental imagery of (a) the degree to which stimuli imply a body–object interaction (BOI) and manipulability, and (b) fine motor skills (FMS), using a chronometric mental rotation task. The mental rotation task involved stimuli that differed according to whether they implied a high or a low BOI. Additionally, participants ( N = 102) completed FMS, vocabulary and processing speed tasks. Results indicated that high-BOI words resulted in smaller response latencies; however, FMS was not a significant predictor. Findings are discussed in terms of embodied effects on mental imagery.