@article{MiklashevskyFischerLindemann2022, author = {Miklashevsky, Alex and Fischer, Martin H. and Lindemann, Oliver}, title = {Spatial-numerical associations without a motor response? Grip force says 'Yes'}, series = {Acta Psychologica}, volume = {231}, journal = {Acta Psychologica}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {1873-6297}, doi = {10.1016/j.actpsy.2022.103791}, pages = {1 -- 17}, year = {2022}, abstract = {In numerical processing, the functional role of Spatial-Numerical Associations (SNAs, such as the association of smaller numbers with left space and larger numbers with right space, the Mental Number Line hypothesis) is debated. Most studies demonstrate SNAs with lateralized responses, and there is little evidence that SNAs appear when no response is required. We recorded passive holding grip forces in no-go trials during number processing. In Experiment 1, participants performed a surface numerical decision task ("Is it a number or a letter?"). In Experiment 2, we used a deeper semantic task ("Is this number larger or smaller than five?"). Despite instruction to keep their grip force constant, participants' spontaneous grip force changed in both experiments: Smaller numbers led to larger force increase in the left than in the right hand in the numerical decision task (500-700 ms after stimulus onset). In the semantic task, smaller numbers again led to larger force increase in the left hand, and larger numbers increased the right-hand holding force. This effect appeared earlier (180 ms) and lasted longer (until 580 ms after stimulus onset). This is the first demonstration of SNAs with passive holding force. Our result suggests that (1) explicit motor response is not a prerequisite for SNAs to appear, and (2) the timing and strength of SNAs are task-dependent. (216 words).}, language = {en} } @article{MyachykovScheepersFischeretal.2014, author = {Myachykov, Andriy and Scheepers, Christoph and Fischer, Martin H. and Kessler, Klaus}, title = {TEST: A tropic, embodied, and situated theory of cognition}, series = {Topics in cognitive science}, volume = {6}, journal = {Topics in cognitive science}, number = {3}, publisher = {Wiley-Blackwell}, address = {Hoboken}, issn = {1756-8757}, doi = {10.1111/tops.12024}, pages = {442 -- 460}, year = {2014}, abstract = {TEST is a novel taxonomy of knowledge representations based on three distinct hierarchically organized representational features: Tropism, Embodiment, and Situatedness. Tropic representational features reflect constraints of the physical world on the agent's ability to form, reactivate, and enrich embodied (i.e., resulting from the agent's bodily constraints) conceptual representations embedded in situated contexts. The proposed hierarchy entails that representations can, in principle, have tropic features without necessarily having situated and/or embodied features. On the other hand, representations that are situated and/or embodied are likely to be simultaneously tropic. Hence, although we propose tropism as the most general term, the hierarchical relationship between embodiment and situatedness is more on a par, such that the dominance of one component over the other relies on the distinction between offline storage versus online generation as well as on representation-specific properties.}, language = {en} } @article{WasnerMoellerFischeretal.2014, author = {Wasner, Mirjam and Moeller, Korbinian and Fischer, Martin H. and Nuerk, Hans-Christoph}, title = {Aspects of situated cognition in embodied numerosity: the case of finger counting}, series = {Cognitive processing : international quarterly of cognitive science}, volume = {15}, journal = {Cognitive processing : international quarterly of cognitive science}, number = {3}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {1612-4782}, doi = {10.1007/s10339-014-0599-z}, pages = {317 -- 328}, year = {2014}, abstract = {Numerical cognitions such as spatial-numerical associations have been observed to be influenced by grounded, embodied and situated factors. For the case of finger counting, grounded and embodied influences have been reported. However, situated influences, e.g., that reported counting habits change with perception and action within a given situation, have not been systematically examined. To pursue the issue of situatedness of reported finger-counting habits, 458 participants were tested in three separate groups: (1) spontaneous condition: counting with both hands available, (2) perceptual condition: counting with horizontal (left-to-right) perceptual arrangement of fingers (3) perceptual and proprioceptive condition: counting with horizontal (left-to-right) perceptual arrangement of fingers and with busy dominant hand. Report of typical counting habits differed strongly between the three conditions. 28 \% reported to start counting with the left hand in the spontaneous counting condition (1), 54 \% in the perceptual condition (2) and 62 \% in the perceptual and proprioceptive condition (3). Additionally, all participants in the spontaneous counting group showed a symmetry-based counting pattern (with the thumb as number 6), while in the two other groups, a considerable number of participants exhibited a spatially continuous counting pattern (with the pinkie as number 6). Taken together, the study shows that reported finger-counting habits depend on the perceptual and proprioceptive situation and thus are strongly influenced by situated cognition. We suggest that this account reconciles apparently contradictory previous findings of different counting preferences regarding the starting hand in different examination situations.}, language = {en} }