Mental Simulation in Students Based on the Embodied Cognition View
Pegah Zamani, Parisa Karimian
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Experimental study (three experiments) |
|---|---|
| Population | Ilam students |
| Key findings | Verbs denoting upward or downward motion and nouns associated with verticality facilitated mental simulation, as shown by responses to location signs that aligned or conflicted with implied motion. Metaphorical expressions did not produce this facilitation. The authors interpret this as evidence that literal linguistic elements, but not metaphors, activate mental simulation. |
Abstract
Mental simulation closely resembles perceptual experience, occurring in the absence of external stimuli. It involves retrieving perceptual information from memory, enabling individuals to 'see with the mind's eye' or 'hear with the mind's ear.' This study investigates mental simulation among Ilam students, drawing on the framework proposed by Bergen (2005). Specifically, it examines whether linguistic elements-verbs, nouns, and metaphors-activate mental simulations. To explore this, three experiments were conducted. In each experiment, participants were presented with sentences and tasked with responding to location signs that either aligned with or contradicted the implied motion in the sentences. The findings reveal that verbs denoting upward or downward motion and nouns associated with verticality facilitate mental simulation, whereas metaphorical expressions do not.