Directed Actions Guide Insight in Problem Solving

Accumulating evidence within the embodied cognition literature shows that mental simulations, situated action, and bodily states underlie cognition, but researchers have done relatively little work to examine whether cognitive processes can arise from the manner in which our bodies interact with the immediate environment, nor whether it is possible to guide people's thoughts by manipulating their actions. The mind uses the body to accomplish cognitive goals, but can we make the body move in ways that guide the mind? I conducted a series of experiments that investigated embodied cognition in problem-solving tasks, examining the influence of directed actions on higher-order cognition. By experimentally directing participants' movements for a small portion of time as they tried to solve an insight problem---whether these were subtle movements of the eyes (Experiment 1), movements of attention (Experiment 2), or large movements of the arms (Experiments 3--4)---I was able to substantially alter their chances of successfully solving that problem. This research adds a new dimension to the embodied cognition literature, providing evidence for a causal link between action and cognition.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2015

Author dc:creator

• Thomas, Laura Elizabeth

Contributors dc:contributor

• Irwin, David E.

• Psychology, Experimental

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

(MiAaPQ)AAI3337940

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/82169