Language grounding in the sensorimotor system

Recent studies show that during language comprehension we activate a simulation, that is we recruit the same perceptual, motor and emotion system we use during interaction with object and entities. I'm interested in how specific and fine-grained is the simulation activated during words and sentences comprehension.

I'm interested in understanding better how fine-grained this simulation is. In particular, I study whether this simulation is sensitive to

• the effectors (hand, foot, mouth) involved in the sentence,
• different object properties such as size, weight, different affordances - especially stable and dynamic affordances, and social and relational affordances
• the overall action goals. In particular, I'm interested in whether the chained organization of motor acts which is typical of the motor system is encoded in language.

Impact of language on categorization and on the sense of body

I do not believe that language does not determine thought, but that language impacts cognition and categorization, and I think that the effects of linguistic experience haven't been studied enough within the embodied cognition community. .

I'm interested in how the embodied linguistic experience (and not only the sensorimotor experience) can modify the boundaries of our categories and can account for the meanings of words, and in particular of abstract words, such as "truth". see section on abstract concepts

Finally, I'm interested in how language can change the way we conceive of our own body. Namely, I believe that words are kinds of instruments that can extend our action possibilities as well as our cognitive possibilities. .

Papers on language grounding (since 2004)

• Marino, B., Borghi, A.M. , Buccino, G., Riggio, L. (2017).Chained activation of the motor system during language understanding. Frontiers in Psychology, 8:199. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00199. link to download
• Gianelli, C., Marzocchi, M., Borghi, A.M. (2017).Grasping the agent’s perspective: a kinematics investigation of linguistic perspective in Italian and German. Frontiers in Psychology 8:42. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00042. link to download
• Scerrati, E., Lugli, L., Nicoletti, R., Borghi, A.M. (2016, in press).The Multilevel Modality-Switch Effect: What Happens When We See the Bees Buzzing and Hear the Diamonds Glistening. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, DOI 10.3758/s13423-016-1150-2. pdf to download
• Cimatti, F., Flumini, A., Vittuari, M., Borghi, A.M. (2016). Odors, words and objects. RIFL- Rivista Italiana di Filosofia del linguaggio.pdf to download
• Scorolli, C., Daprati, E., Nico, D., Borghi, A.M. (2016).Reaching for objects or asking for them: Distance estimation in 7 to 15 years-old children . Journal of Motor Behavior, 48(2):183-91. doi: 10.1080/00222895.2015.1070787.pdf to dowload
• Scerrati, E., Baroni, G., Borghi, A.M., Galatolo, R., Lugli, L., Nicoletti, R. (2015). The modality-switch effect: Visually and aurally presented prime sentences activate our senses. Frontiers in Psychology, 6:1668. doi 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01668. pdf to download
• Flumini, A., Barca, L., Borghi, A.M., Pezzulo (2015). How do you hold your mouse? Tracking the compatibility effect between hand posture and stimulus size. Psychological Research, 79, 928–938. DOI 10.1007/s00426-014-0622-0. pdf to download
• Borghi, A.M., Riggio, L. (2015). Stable and variable affordances are both automatic and flexible. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 9:351. doi: 10.3389/fnhum.2015.00351. pdf to download
• Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M., Tummolini, L. (2015). Indici visivi e giudizi impliciti di proprietà: Uno studio sperimentale.Visual cues and implicit judgments of ownership: An experimental study.) Sistemi intelligenti, 1, 209-220, DOI: 10.1422/79695. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M., Cangelosi, A. (2014). Action language integration: from humans to cognitive robots. Topics in Cognitive Science, 6, 3, 344-358. pre-print (special issue edited by A.Cangelosi-A.M.Borghi, Action language integration: from humans to cognitive robots, 6, 3, 344-558)
• Flumini, A., Ranzini, M., Borghi, A.M. (2014). Nomina sunt consequentia rerum. Sound-shape correspondences with every-day object figures. Journal of Memory and Language, 76, 47-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2014.06.004. pdf to downLoad
• Flumini, A., Barca, L., Borghi, A.M., Pezzulo, G. (2014). Tracking the compatibility effect of hand grip and stimulus size. In M. Cruciani & A. Rega (Eds. (pp. 162-170)). Corpi, strumenti e cognizione. Anno 1 - Volume n° 5 - Atti del convegno internazionale dell'Associazione Italiana di Scienze Cognitive (pp.162-170). pre-print
• Kalkan, S., Dag, N., Yuruten, O., Borghi, A.M., Sahin, E. (2014). Verb concepts from affordances. Interaction Studies 15:1, 1-37. doi: 10.1075/is.15.1.01kal preprint
• Flumini, A., Ranzini, M., Borghi, A.M. (2014). Sound-symbolic correspondences with figures of known entities. Proceedings of the Cognitive Science Society, 2210-2215. pre-print
• Gianelli, C., Lugli, L., Baroni, G., Nicoletti, R., Borghi, A.M. (2013). The impact of social context and language comprehension on behaviour: A kinematic investigation. PLoS ONE, Volume 8(12): e85151. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0085151. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M., Scorolli, C., Caligiore, D., Baldassarre, G. & Tummolini, L. (2013). The embodied mind extended: Words as social tools. Frontiers in Psychology 4:214. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00214. pdf to download
• Gianelli, C., Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M. (2013). Acting in perspective: The role of body and of language as social tools. Psychological Research, 77, 1, 40-52. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M. (2012). Action language comprehension, affordances and goals. In Yan Coello, Angela Bartolo (Eds). Language and action in cognitive neuroscience. Contemporary topics in cognitive neuroscience series (pp. 125-143). Psychology Press. ISBN: 978-1-84872-082-4. pre-print
• Lugli, L., Baroni, G., Gianelli, C., Borghi, A.M., Nicoletti, R. (2012). Self, others, objects: How this triadic interaction modulates our behavior. Memory and Cognition, 40, 1373-1386
  DOI 10.3758/s13421-012-0218-0. pre-print. Materials (pdf)
• Ambrosini, E., Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M., Costantini, M. (2012).Which body for embodied cognition? Affordance and language within actual and perceived reaching space. Consciousness and Cognition, 21, 1551–1557. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M., Scorolli, C.(2012). Parole come strumenti che estendono il corpo.Sistemi intelligenti, 24, 1, 117-126.pre-print
• Liuzza, M.T., Cimatti, F., Borghi, A.M. (2012). Linguistic tools for embodied minds. RIFL, 6, 2, 43-58. doi: 104396/20120704. pre-print. link
• Borghi, A.M. (2011).Simulating the elimination of simulation: the case of language comprehension. Journal of Mental Imagery, 3-4, 27-33. (commentary to Iachini, T. Mental imagery and embodied cognition: A multimodal approach (2011), JMI. pre-print
• Lugli, L., Baroni, G., Gianelli, C., Borghi, A.M (2011). L'importanza degli “altri”: come il contesto relazionale influenza il sistema motorio. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 38, 577-584. Materiali
• Costantini, M., Ambrosini, E., Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M (2011).When objects are close to me: affordances in the peripersonal space. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 18, 32-38. pre-print
• Gianelli, C., Lugli, L., Baroni, G., Nicoletti, R., Borghi, A.M (2011). “The object is wonderful or prickly": how different object properties modulate behavior in a joint context. In: Kokinov, B., Karmiloff-Smith, A., Nersessian, N. J. (eds.) European Perspectives on Cognitive Science. © New Bulgarian University Press, 2011 ISBN 978-954-535-660-5 (Eurocogsci, paper 269).pre-print
• Ambrosini, E., Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M., Costantini, M. (2011).Experiencing objects. The role of the body. In: Kokinov, B., Karmiloff-Smith, A., Nersessian, N. J. (eds.) European Perspectives on Cognitive Science. © New Bulgarian University Press, 2011 ISBN 978-954-535-660-5 (Eurocogsci, paper 235, pp. 1-5). (best student award).pre-print
• Jirak, D., Menz, M., Buccino, G., Borghi, A.M., & Binkofski, F. (2010). Grasping language. A short story on embodiment. Consciousness and Cognition, 19, 711-720. pre-print
• Chersi, F., Thill, S., Ziemke, T., Borghi, A.M. (2010). Sentence processing: Linking language to motor chain. (Special topic edited by Angelo Cangelosi, Action and language integration in cognitive systems.) Frontiers in neurorobotics. link
• Borghi, A.M., Gianelli, C., Scorolli, C. (2010). Sentence comprehension: effectors and goals, self and others. An overview of experiments and implications for robotics. (Special topic edited by Angelo Cangelosi, Action and language integration in cognitive systems.) Frontiers in neurorobotics. link
• Borghi, A.M., Cimatti, F.(2010). Embodied cognition and beyond: Acting and sensing the body. NeuropsychologiA, 48, 763-773. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M. (2010). Parole, non simboli. Sistemi intelligenti, 1, 161-168. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M., Caligiore, D., Scorolli, C. (2010). Objects, words, and actions. Some reasons why embodied models are badly needed in cognitive psychology. In V. Capecchi, M. Buscema, P. Cantucci & B. D’Amore (eds.). Applications of mathematics in models, artificial neural networks and arts. Mathematics and society. Berlin: Springer. preprint
• Borghi, A.M. (2009). Comprensione del linguaggio: Movimento, azione, socialità. (Language comprehension: Movement, action, social life). Teorie e modelli, 1, 67-77 (numero tematico su "Movimento e funzioni cognitive" a cura di Carmela Morabito e Gloria Galloni). pre-print
• Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M., Glenberg, A.M. (2009). Language-induced motor activity in bimanual object lifting. Experimental Brain Research, 193, 43-53. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M., Riggio, L. (2009). Sentence comprehension and simulation of objects temporary, canonical and stable affordances. Brain Research, 1253, 117-128. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M., Scorolli, C. (2009). Language comprehension and hand motion simulation. Human Movement Science, 28, 12-27. pre-print. Materials: BS-Exp1a - BS-Exp1b- BS-Exp2- BS-Exp3
• Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M. (2008). 'Language and embodiment'. Anthropology and Philosophy, 9 (1-2), pp. 7-23. pre-print
• Borghi, A.M., Nicoletti, R. (2008). “Se leggo cappello mi muovo verso l’alto ­ Movimento e comprensione di parole e frasi” Giornale Italiano di Psicologia. (If I read "hat" I tend to move upwards. Movement and words and sentence comprehension. Italian Journal of Psychology). preprint
• Sacchetti, S., Borghi, A.M. (2007). Concetti di oggetti e funzione: Ruolo della funzione canonica e effetti di contesto. Giornale Italiano di Psicologia, 34, 781-788. (Object concepts and function: Role of canonical function and contextual effects. Italian Journal of Psychology). preprint
• Scorolli, C., Borghi, A.M. (2007). Sentence comprehension and action: Effector specific modulation of the motor system. Brain research, 1130, 119-124. preprint
• Parisi, D., Borghi, A.M., Di Ferdinando, A. & Tsiotas, G. (2005). Meaning and motor actions: Behavioral and Artificial Life evidence.
   Commentary to the target article ‘From monkey-like action recognition to human language: An evolutionary framework for neurolinguistics’ by Michael A. Arbib. Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS), 28, 35-36.
• Borghi, A.M., Glenberg, A., Kaschak, M. (2004). Putting Words in Perspective. Memory and cognition,32, 863-873 . Materials.
• Borghi, A.M. (2004). Objects concepts and action: Extracting affordances from objects’ parts. Acta Psychologica, 115, 1, 69-96.