@article{SpringerBrandstaedterLiepeltetal.2011,
  author    = {Springer, Anne and Brandst{\"a}dter, Simone and Liepelt, Roman and Birngruber, Teresa and Giese, Martin and Mechsner, Franz and Prinz, Wolfgang},
  title     = {Motor execution affects action prediction},
  series = {Brain and cognition : a journal of experimental and clinical research},
  volume    = {76},
  journal   = {Brain and cognition : a journal of experimental and clinical research},
  number    = {1},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {San Diego},
  issn      = {0278-2626},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.bandc.2011.03.007},
  pages     = {26 -- 36},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Previous studies provided evidence of the claim that the prediction of occluded action involves real-time simulation. We report two experiments that aimed to study how real-time simulation is affected by simultaneous action execution under conditions of full, partial or no overlap between observed and executed actions. This overlap was analysed by comparing the body sides and the movement kinematics involved in the observed and the executed action. While performing actions, participants observed point-light (PL) actions that were interrupted by an occluder, followed by a test pose. The task was to judge whether the test pose depicted a continuation of the occluded action in the same depth angle. Using a paradigm proposed by Graf et al., we independently manipulated the duration of the occluder and the temporal advance of the test pose relative to occlusion onset (occluder time and pose time, respectively). This paradigm allows the assessment of real-time simulation, based on prediction performance across different occluder time/pose time combinations (i.e., improved task performance with decreasing time distance between occluder time and pose time is taken to reflect real-time simulation). The PL actor could be perceived as from the front or back, as indicated by task instructions. In Experiment 1 (front view instructions), evidence of action simulation was obtained for partial overlap (i.e., observed and performed action corresponded either in body side or movement kinematics), but not for full or no overlap conditions. The same pattern was obtained in Experiment 2 (back view instructions), ruling out a spatial compatibility explanation for the real-time pattern observed. Our results suggest that motor processes affect action prediction and real-time simulation. The strength of their impact varies as a function of the overlap between observed and executed actions.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ParkinsonSpringerPrinz2011,
  author    = {Parkinson, Jim and Springer, Anne and Prinz, Wolfgang},
  title     = {Can you see me in the snow? - action simulation aids the detection of visually degraded human motion},
  series = {The quarterly journal of experimental psychology},
  volume    = {64},
  journal   = {The quarterly journal of experimental psychology},
  number    = {8},
  publisher = {Wiley},
  address   = {Hove},
  issn      = {1747-0218},
  doi       = {10.1080/17470218.2011.594895},
  pages     = {1463 -- 1472},
  year      = {2011},
  abstract  = {Using a novel paradigm, we demonstrate that action simulation can directly facilitate ongoing perception of people's movements. Point-light actors (PLAs) representing common human motions were shown embedded in a visual noise reminiscent of "TV snow". At first, the PLAs were perceived clearly, then occluded from view for a short duration, during which it was hypothesized that a real-time action simulation was generated tracking the motion's course. The PLA then reappeared in motion at variable visibility against the noise, whilst detection thresholds for the reappearance were measured. In the crucial manipulation, the test motion was either temporally congruent with the motion as it would have continued during occlusion, and thus temporally matching the simulation, or temporally incongruent. Detection thresholds were lower for congruent than for incongruent reappearing motions, suggesting that reappearing motion that temporally matched the internal action simulation was more likely to be detected.},
  language  = {en}
}