Sensorimotor simulations underlie conceptual representations: modality-specific effects of prior activation

Pecher, D., Zeelenberg, R. and Barsalou, L. W. (2004) Sensorimotor simulations underlie conceptual representations: modality-specific effects of prior activation. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 11(1), pp. 164-167. (doi: 10.3758/BF03206477) (PMID:15117003)

Abstract

According to the perceptual symbols theory (Barsalou, 1999), sensorimotor simulations underlie the representation of concepts. Simulations are componential in the sense that they vary with the context in which the concept is presented. In the present study, we investigated whether representations are affected by recent experiences with a concept. Concept names (e.g., APPLE) were presented twice in a property verification task with a different property on each occasion. The two properties were either from the same perceptual modality (e.g.,green, shiny) or from different modalities (e.g.,tart, shiny). All stimuli were words. There was a lag of several intervening trials between the first and second presentation. Verification times and error rates for the second presentation of the concept were higher if the properties were from different modalities than if they were from the same modality.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Barsalou, Professor Lawrence
• Authors: Pecher, D., Zeelenberg, R., and Barsalou, L. W.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Psychology
• Journal Name: Psychonomic Bulletin and Review
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1069-9384
• ISSN (Online): 1531-5320