Muscular activity in the arm during lexical retrieval: implications for gesture-speech theories - PubMed (original) (raw)

Muscular activity in the arm during lexical retrieval: implications for gesture-speech theories

Ezequiel Morsella et al. J Psycholinguist Res. 2005 Jul.

Abstract

The origin and functions of the hand and arm gestures that accompany speech production are poorly understood. It has been proposed that gestures facilitate lexical retrieval, but little is known about when retrieval is accompanied by gestural activity and how this activity is related to the semantics of the word to be retrieved. Electromyographic (EMG) activity of the dominant forearm was recorded during a retrieval task in which participants tried to identify target words from their definitions. EMG amplitudes were significantly greater for concrete than for abstract words. The relationship between EMG amplitude and other conceptual attributes of the target words was examined. EMG was positively related to a word's judged spatiality, concreteness, drawability, and manipulability. The implications of these findings for theories of the relation between speech production and gesture are discussed.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Mem Cognit. 1989 Jan;17(1):69-76 -PubMed
    1. Psychol Rev. 1989 Jan;96(1):168-74 -PubMed
    1. Cognition. 1992 Oct;45(1):55-75 -PubMed
    1. J Exp Psychol. 1961 Jan;61:23-9 -PubMed
    1. Mem Cognit. 1977 Nov;5(6):615-22 -PubMed

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources