Embodied cognition: The interplay between automatic resonance and selection-for-action mechanisms

Abstract

Embodied cognition, or the notion that cognitive processes develop from goal-directed interactions between organisms and their environment has stressed the automaticity of perceptual and motor resonance mechanisms in other cognitive domains like language. The present paper starts with reviewing abundant empirical evidence for automatic resonance mechanisms between action and language and examples of other cognitive domains such as number processing. Special attention is given here to social implications of embodied cognition. Then some more recent evidence indicating the importance of the action context on the interaction between action and language is reviewed. Finally, a theoretical notion about how automatic and selective mechanisms can be incorporated in an embodied cognitive perspective is provided. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.