A common coding framework in self–other interaction: evidence from joint action task

Abstract

Many of our actions are influenced by the social context. Traditional approach attributes the influence of the social context to arousal state changes in a socially promotive way. The ideomotor approach, which postulates common coding between perceived events and intended actions, uses a conceptual scheme of ideomotor compatibility to explain self–other interaction. In this study, we recorded reaction times (RTs) and event-related potentials in a Go/NoGo task with stimulus–response (S–R) compatibility arrangement to examine how the social context affects self–other interaction. Although the social facilitation theory predicted that RTs would be faster when acting together with audience rather than acting alone, the ideomotor theory predicted S–R compatibility effects only for the joint condition. The results revealed S–R compatibility on the RTs, lateralized readiness potential of the Go trials, and P3 of the NoGo trials in the joint condition, which were in line with the predictions of the ideomotor theory. Owing to the anticipation of other’s actions, self and other’s actions are internally and unintentionally coded at the representational level and their functional equivalency can be realized through a common coding framework between perception and action systems. Social facilitation theory was not supported, because we found no significant data differences depending on the setting.