Sentence understanding engages motor processes

Processing sentences describing actions performed by the hearer (e.g. You gave Andy a pizza) primes actually performing a motor action compatible with the one described (Glenberg & Kaschak 2002), This result has been interpreted as indicating that processing meaning involves the activation of motor control circuitry to prepare the language understander for situated action. A complementary view (Bergen & Chang 2005) argues that motor control structures are automatically and unconsciously engaged during motion language processing irrespective of whether that language pertains to the understander, because the meaning of action language is inherently grounded in motor control circuitry. To distinguish between these views, we must determine whether motor activity results from processing language about actions performed by and on third persons (e.g. Andy gave Sara a pizza.) Two experiments tested the scope of compatible action facilitation during sentence understanding, where sentences either encoded motion in a particular direction (e.g. John opened the drawer) or using a particular handshape (e.g. Mary grabbed the marble.) Both studies yielded significant Action-sentence Compatibility Effects, demonstrating that whether language is about the understander or not, it engages their motor system