Embodied Perspective on Emotion-Cognition Interactions

Abstract

(from the chapter) Emotions permeate social and non-social cognition. However, our understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains elusive. One reason is because traditional amodal or symbolic accounts of cognition view emotional information as equivalent to any other information. However, recent theories of embodied cognition suggest new ways to understand the processing of emotionally significant information. They suggest that both perceiving and thinking about such information involve perceptual, somato-visceral, and motoric reexperiences (embodiment) of the relevant emotion in the self. Consistent with this view, many studies show that processing of emotion recruits embodiments as reflected in psychological measures. Further, embodiment of emotion, even when induced by simple manipulations, such as facial expression, posture, or movement, can causally influence the processing of emotional information, including perception, learning, understanding, and use in language, judgment, and behavior. This chapter reviews relevant studies and discusses potential neural mechanisms underlying embodiment and simulation. The importance of social context and flexible use of embodiment in emotional processing is especially highlighted and its importance for typical and atypical social functioning is discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved) (chapter)