@article{AchillesFinkFischeretal.2016, author = {Achilles, E. I. S. and Fink, G. R. and Fischer, Martin H. and Dovern, A. and Held, A. and Timpert, D. C. and Schroeter, C. and Schuetz, K. and Kloetzsch, C. and Weiss, P. H.}, title = {Effect of meaning on apraxic finger imitation deficits}, series = {Neuropsychologia : an international journal in behavioural and cognitive neuroscience}, volume = {82}, journal = {Neuropsychologia : an international journal in behavioural and cognitive neuroscience}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Oxford}, issn = {0028-3932}, doi = {10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2015.12.022}, pages = {74 -- 83}, year = {2016}, abstract = {Apraxia typically results from left-hemispheric (LH), but also from right-hemispheric (RH) stroke, and often impairs gesture imitation. Especially in LH stroke, it is important to differentiate apraxia-induced gesture imitation deficits from those due to co-morbid aphasia and associated semantic deficits, possibly influencing the imitation of meaningful (MF) gestures. To explore this issue, we first investigated if the 10 supposedly meaningless (ML) gestures of a widely used finger imitation test really carry no meaning, or if the test also contains MF gestures, by asking healthy subjects (n=45) to classify these gestures as MF or ML. Most healthy subjects (98\%) classified three of the 10 gestures as clearly MF. Only two gestures were considered predominantly ML. We next assessed how imitation in stroke patients (255 LH, 113 RH stroke) is influenced by gesture meaning and how aphasia influences imitation of LH stroke patients (n=208). All patients and especially patients with imitation deficits (17\% of LH, 27\% of RH stroke patients) imitated MF gestures significantly better than ML gestures. Importantly, meaningfulness-scores of all 10 gestures significantly predicted imitation scores of patients with imitation deficits. Furthermore, especially in LH stroke patients with imitation deficits, the severity of aphasia significantly influenced the imitation of MF, but not ML gestures. Our findings in a large patient cohort support current cognitive models of imitation and strongly suggest that ML gestures are particularly sensitive to detect imitation deficits while minimising confounding effects of aphasia which affect the imitation of MF gestures in LH stroke patients. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.}, language = {en} } @misc{AdamBovend'EerdtDoorenetal.2012, author = {Adam, Jos J. and Bovend'Eerdt, Thamar J. H. and Dooren, Fleur E. P. van and Fischer, Martin H. and Pratt, Jay}, title = {The closer the better}, series = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, journal = {Postprints der Universit{\"a}t Potsdam : Humanwissenschaftliche Reihe}, number = {607}, issn = {1866-8364}, doi = {10.25932/publishup-43296}, url = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-432963}, pages = {1533 -- 1538}, year = {2012}, abstract = {A growing literature has suggested that processing of visual information presented near the hands is facilitated. In this study, we investigated whether the near-hands superiority effect also occurs with the hands moving. In two experiments, participants performed a cyclical bimanual movement task requiring concurrent visual identification of briefly presented letters. For both the static and dynamic hand conditions, the results showed improved letter recognition performance with the hands closer to the stimuli. The finding that the encoding advantage for near-hand stimuli also occurred with the hands moving suggests that the effect is regulated in real time, in accordance with the concept of a bimodal neural system that dynamically updates hand position in external space.}, language = {en} } @article{AdamBovend'EerdtvanDoorenetal.2012, author = {Adam, Jos J. and Bovend'Eerdt, Thamar J. H. and van Dooren, Fleur E. P. and Fischer, Martin H. and Pratt, Jay}, title = {The closer the better hand proximity dynamically affects letter recognition accuracy}, series = {Attention, perception, \& psychophysics : AP\&P ; a journal of the Psychonomic Society, Inc.}, volume = {74}, journal = {Attention, perception, \& psychophysics : AP\&P ; a journal of the Psychonomic Society, Inc.}, number = {7}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {1943-3921}, doi = {10.3758/s13414-012-0339-3}, pages = {1533 -- 1538}, year = {2012}, abstract = {A growing literature has suggested that processing of visual information presented near the hands is facilitated. In this study, we investigated whether the near-hands superiority effect also occurs with the hands moving. In two experiments, participants performed a cyclical bimanual movement task requiring concurrent visual identification of briefly presented letters. For both the static and dynamic hand conditions, the results showed improved letter recognition performance with the hands closer to the stimuli. The finding that the encoding advantage for near-hand stimuli also occurred with the hands moving suggests that the effect is regulated in real time, in accordance with the concept of a bimodal neural system that dynamically updates hand position in external space.}, language = {en} } @article{ApelCangelosiEllisetal.2012, author = {Apel, Jens K. and Cangelosi, Angelo and Ellis, Rob and Goslin, Jeremy and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Object affordance influences instruction span}, series = {Experimental brain research}, volume = {223}, journal = {Experimental brain research}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {0014-4819}, doi = {10.1007/s00221-012-3251-0}, pages = {199 -- 206}, year = {2012}, abstract = {We measured memory span for assembly instructions involving objects with handles oriented to the left or right side. Right-handed participants remembered more instructions when objects' handles were spatially congruent with the hand used in forthcoming assembly actions. No such affordance-based memory benefit was found for left-handed participants. These results are discussed in terms of motor simulation as an embodied rehearsal mechanism.}, language = {en} } @article{ApelRevieCangelosietal.2011, author = {Apel, Jens K. and Revie, Gavin F. and Cangelosi, Angelo and Ellis, Rob and Goslin, Jeremy and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Attention deployment during memorizing and executing complex instructions}, series = {Experimental brain research}, volume = {214}, journal = {Experimental brain research}, number = {2}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {0014-4819}, doi = {10.1007/s00221-011-2827-4}, pages = {249 -- 259}, year = {2011}, abstract = {We investigated the mental rehearsal of complex action instructions by recording spontaneous eye movements of healthy adults as they looked at objects on a monitor. Participants heard consecutive instructions, each of the form "move [object] to [location]''. Instructions were only to be executed after a go signal, by manipulating all objects successively with a mouse. Participants re-inspected previously mentioned objects already while listening to further instructions. This rehearsal behavior broke down after 4 instructions, coincident with participants' instruction span, as determined from subsequent execution accuracy. These results suggest that spontaneous eye movements while listening to instructions predict their successful execution.}, language = {en} } @article{BarFischerAlgom2018, author = {Bar, Hofit and Fischer, Martin H. and Algom, Daniel}, title = {On the linear representation of numbers}, series = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, volume = {83}, journal = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {0340-0727}, doi = {10.1007/s00426-018-1063-y}, pages = {48 -- 63}, year = {2018}, abstract = {In the number-to-position methodology, a number is presented on each trial and the observer places it on a straight line in a position that corresponds to its felt subjective magnitude. In the novel modification introduced in this study, the two-numbers-to-two-positions method, a pair of numbers rather than a single number is presented on each trial and the observer places them in appropriate positions on the same line. Responses in this method indicate not only the subjective magnitude of each single number but, simultaneously, provide a direct estimation of their subjective numerical distance. The results of four experiments provide strong evidence for a linear representation of numbers and, commensurately, for the linear representation of numerical distances. We attribute earlier results that indicate a logarithmic representation to the ordered nature of numbers and to the task used and not to a truly non-linear underlying representation.}, language = {en} } @article{BelliFelisattiFischer2021, author = {Belli, Francesco and Felisatti, Arianna and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {"BreaThink"}, series = {Experimental brain research}, volume = {239}, journal = {Experimental brain research}, number = {8}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {New York}, issn = {0014-4819}, doi = {10.1007/s00221-021-06147-z}, pages = {2489 -- 2499}, year = {2021}, abstract = {Cognition is shaped by signals from outside and within the body. Following recent evidence of interoceptive signals modulating higher-level cognition, we examined whether breathing changes the production and perception of quantities. In Experiment 1, 22 adults verbally produced on average larger random numbers after inhaling than after exhaling. In Experiment 2, 24 further adults estimated the numerosity of dot patterns that were briefly shown after either inhaling or exhaling. Again, we obtained on average larger responses following inhalation than exhalation. These converging results extend models of situated cognition according to which higher-level cognition is sensitive to transient interoceptive states.}, language = {en} } @misc{BorghiShakiFischer2022, author = {Borghi, Anna M. and Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Concrete constraints on abstract concepts-editorial}, series = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, volume = {86}, journal = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {0340-0727}, doi = {10.1007/s00426-022-01685-9}, pages = {2366 -- 2369}, year = {2022}, abstract = {This special issue, "Concrete constraints of abstract concepts", addresses the role of concrete determinants, both external and internal to the human body, in acquisition, processing and use of abstract concepts while at the same time presenting to the readers an overview of methods used to assess their representation.}, language = {en} } @article{BorghiShakiFischer2022, author = {Borghi, Anna M. and Shaki, Samuel and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Abstract concepts: external influences, internal constraints, and methodological issues}, series = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, volume = {86}, journal = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {0340-0727}, doi = {10.1007/s00426-022-01698-4}, pages = {2370 -- 2388}, year = {2022}, abstract = {There is a longstanding and widely held misconception about the relative remoteness of abstract concepts from concrete experiences. This review examines the current evidence for external influences and internal constraints on the processing, representation, and use of abstract concepts, like truth, friendship, and number. We highlight the theoretical benefit of distinguishing between grounded and embodied cognition and then ask which roles do perception, action, language, and social interaction play in acquiring, representing and using abstract concepts. By reviewing several studies, we show that they are, against the accepted definition, not detached from perception and action. Focussing on magnitude-related concepts, we also discuss evidence for cultural influences on abstract knowledge and explore how internal processes such as inner speech, metacognition, and inner bodily signals (interoception) influence the acquisition and retrieval of abstract knowledge. Finally, we discuss some methodological developments. Specifically, we focus on the importance of studies that investigate the time course of conceptual processing and we argue that, because of the paramount role of sociality for abstract concepts, new methods are necessary to study concepts in interactive situations. We conclude that bodily, linguistic, and social constraints provide important theoretical limitations for our theories of conceptual knowledge.}, language = {en} } @unpublished{CaligioreFischer2013, author = {Caligiore, Daniele and Fischer, Martin H.}, title = {Vision, action and language unified through embodiment}, series = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, volume = {77}, journal = {Psychological research : an international journal of perception, attention, memory, and action}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Heidelberg}, issn = {0340-0727}, doi = {10.1007/s00426-012-0417-0}, pages = {1 -- 6}, year = {2013}, language = {en} }