TY - JOUR A1 - Springer, Anne A1 - Parkinson, Jim A1 - Prinz, Wolfgang T1 - Action simulation: time course and representational mechanisms JF - FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY N2 - The notion of action simulation refers to the ability to re-enact foreign actions (i.e., actions observed in other individuals). Simulating others’ actions implies a mirroring of their activities, based on one’s own sensonmotor competencies. Here, we discuss theoretical and experimental approaches to action simulation and the study of its representational underpinnings. One focus of our discussion is on the timing of internal simulation and its relation to the timing of external action, and a paradigm that requires participants to predict the future course of actions that are temporarily occluded from view. We address transitions between perceptual mechanisms (referring to action representation before and after occlusion) and simulation mechanisms (referring to action representation during occlusion). Findings suggest that action simulation runs in real-time; acting on newly created action representations rather than relying on continuous visual extrapolations. A further focus of our discussion pertains to the functional characteristics of the mechanisms involved in predicting other people’s actions. We propose that two processes are engaged, dynamic updating and static matching, which may draw on both semantic and motor information. In a concluding section, we discuss these findings in the context of broader theoretical issues related to action and event representation, arguing that a detailed functional analysis of action simulation in cognitive, neural, and computational terms may help to further advance our understanding of action cognition and motor control. KW - action simulation KW - internal forward models KW - occlusion KW - point-light action KW - static matching KW - predictive coding Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00387 SN - 1664-1078 VL - 4 PB - FRONTIERS RESEARCH FOUNDATION CY - LAUSANNE ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Springer, Anne A1 - Brandstädter, Simone A1 - Prinz, Wolfgang T1 - Dynamic Simulation and Static Matching for Action Prediction : evidence from Body Part Priming JF - Cognitive science : a multidisciplinary journal of anthropology, artificial intelligence, education, linguistics, neuroscience, philosophy, psychology ; journal of the Cognitive Science Society N2 - Accurately predicting other people's actions may involve two processes: internal real-time simulation (dynamic updating) and matching recently perceived action images (static matching). Using a priming of body parts, this study aimed to differentiate the two processes. Specifically, participants played a motion-controlled video game with either their arms or legs. They then observed arm movements of a point-light actor, which were briefly occluded from view, followed by a static test pose. Participants judged whether this test pose depicted a coherent continuation of the previously seen action (i.e., action prediction task). Evidence of dynamic updating was obtained after compatible effector priming (i.e., arms), whereas incompatible effector priming (i.e., legs) indicated static matching. Together, the results support action prediction as engaging two distinct processes, dynamic simulation and static matching, and indicate that their relative contributions depend on contextual factors like compatibility of body parts involved in performed and observed action. KW - Action prediction KW - Internal simulation KW - Body part priming KW - Point-light action Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1111/cogs.12044 SN - 0364-0213 VL - 37 IS - 5 SP - 936 EP - 952 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Krahe, Charlotte A1 - Springer, Anne A1 - Weinman, John A. A1 - Fotopoulou, Aikaterini T1 - The social modulation of pain - others as predictive signals of salience ; a systematic review JF - Frontiers in human neuroscienc N2 - Several studies in cognitive neuroscience have investigated the cognitive and affective modulation of pain. By contrast, fewer studies have focused on the social modulation of pain, despite a plethora of relevant clinical findings. Here we present the first review of experimental studies addressing how interpersonal factors, such as the presence, behavior, and spatial proximity of an observer, modulate pain. Based on a systematic literature search, we identified 26 studies on experimentally induced pain that manipulated different interpersonal variables and measured behavioral, physiological, and neural pain-related responses. We observed that the modulation of pain by interpersonal factors depended on (1) the degree to which the social partners were active or were perceived by the participants to possess possibility for action; (2) the degree to which participants could perceive the specific intentions of the social partners; (3) the type of pre-existing relationship between the social partner and the person in pain, and lastly, (4) individual differences in relating to others and coping styles. Based on these findings, we propose that the modulation of pain by social factors can be fruitfully understood in relation to a recent predictive coding model, the free energy framework, particularly as applied to interoception and social cognition. Specifically, we argue that interpersonal interactions during pain may function as social, predictive signals of contextual threat or safety and as such influence the salience of noxious stimuli. The perception of such interpersonal interactions may in turn depend on (a) prior beliefs about interpersonal relating and (b) the certainty or precision by which an interpersonal interaction may predict environmental threat or safety. KW - pain KW - social modulation KW - social support KW - empathy KW - predictive coding KW - attachment KW - review Y1 - 2013 U6 - https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2013.00386 SN - 1662-5161 VL - 7 IS - 29 PB - Frontiers Research Foundation CY - Lausanne ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Freudenberg, Maxi A1 - Mauersberger, Heidi A1 - Springer, Anne A1 - Fotopoulou, Aikaterini A1 - Blaison, Christophe A1 - Hess, Ursula T1 - A woman's best friend how the presence of dogs reduces Experimentally induced pain T2 - Psychophysiology : journal of the Society for Psychophysiological Research KW - EMG KW - cold pressor pain Y1 - 2013 SN - 0048-5772 VL - 50 SP - S103 EP - S103 PB - Wiley-Blackwell CY - Hoboken ER -