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Action word understanding and overt motor behavior

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Abstract

Is the motor system involved in language processing? In order to clarify this issue, we carried out three behavioral experiments, using go–no-go and choice paradigms. In all the experiments, we used a semantic decision task with an early delivery of the go signal (during processing language material). Italian verbs expressing hand actions, foot actions or an abstract content served as stimuli. Participants executed intransitive (Experiment 1) or transitive (Experiment 2) actions with their right hand in response to the acoustic presentation of action-related verbs and refrained from responding to abstract verbs. The kinematics of the actions was slowed down by hand action-related verbs when compared with foot action-related verbs. In Experiment 3, hand-related and foot-related verbs were presented. Participants responded to hand-related and foot-related verbs with their hand and their foot (compatible condition) and in another block of trials they responded to hand-related and foot-related verbs with their foot and their hand (incompatible condition), respectively. In the compatible condition, the beginning of the action was faster, whereas the kinematics of the action was slower. The present findings suggest complete activation of verb-related motor programs during language processing. The data are discussed in support of the hypothesis that this complete activation is necessary requisite to understand the exact meaning of action words because goal and consequence of the actions are represented.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Giovanni Buccino for discussion of data. The work was supported by grants from MIUR (Ministero dell’Istruzione, dell’Università e della Ricerca) to M. G.

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Correspondence to Maurizio Gentilucci.

Appendix

Appendix

Linguistic material used in the three experiments. For each item, category, number of letters, syllables, isolation point, acoustic duration and lexical frequency (number of occurrences per million—Laudanna et al. 1995) are listed. In the rightmost column, English translations are given.

Name

Category

Letters

Syllables

IP (s)

AD (s)

LF

Translation

Tagliare

Hand-related

8

3

0.45

1.21

3.03

To hack

Firmare

Hand-related

7

3

0.6

1.25

15.76

To sign

Disegnare

Hand-related

9

4

0.68

1.35

9.09

To draw

Ricamare

Hand-related

8

4

0.66

1.33

2.12

To embroider

Applaudire

Hand-related

10

4

0.77

1.54

3.33

To applaud

Stappare

Hand-related

8

3

0.72

1.4

0

To uncap

Svitare

Hand-related

7

3

0.57

1.28

0

To unscrew

Timbrare

Hand-related

8

3

0.51

1.21

1.21

To stamp

Rammendare

Hand-related

10

4

1.01

1.8

0.3

To mend

Sbottonare

Hand-related

10

4

0.85

1.68

0

To unbutton

Correre

Foot-related

7

3

0.52

1.12

58.18

To run

Camminare

Foot-related

9

4

0.56

1.35

28.18

To walk

Calpestare

Foot-related

10

4

0.87

1.6

1.82

To trample

Marciare

Foot-related

8

3

0.65

1.34

3.33

To walk

Inciampare

Foot-related

10

4

0.85

1.61

0.91

To stumble

Calciare

Foot-related

8

3

0.62

1.33

0.91

To kick

Saltellare

Foot-related

10

4

0.86

1.5

0.61

To jump

Pattinare

Foot-related

9

4

0.67

1.4

0.3

To skate

Pedalare

Foot-related

8

4

0.5

1.28

2.73

To pedal

Zoppicare

Foot-related

9

4

0.75

1.58

0

To hobble

Amare

Abstract

5

3

0.32

0.97

26.97

To love

Odiare

Abstract

6

3

0.41

1.2

1.82

To hate

Godere

Abstract

6

3

0.38

1.05

16.06

To enjoy

Scordare

Abstract

8

3

0.74

1.46

2.42

To forget

Temere

Abstract

6

3

0.38

1.16

13.64

To fear

Meditare

Abstract

8

4

0.69

1.44

1.82

To meditate

Contemplare

Abstract

11

4

0.99

1.75

3.94

To contemplate

Ammirare

Abstract

8

4

0.76

1.49

13.33

To admire

Sopportare

Abstract

10

4

1

1.72

20

To bear

Approvare

Abstract

9

4

0.77

1.66

10.91

To approve

  1. IP isolation points (s), AD acoustic duration (s), LF lexical frequency

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Dalla Volta, R., Gianelli, C., Campione, G.C. et al. Action word understanding and overt motor behavior. Exp Brain Res 196, 403–412 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-1864-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00221-009-1864-8

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