Is Cognition Grounded in Action? Conceptual Considerations and Empirical Evidence

Thinking and acting have commonly been assumed to operate in different domains: thinking draws on conceptual representations, whereas motor control functions are thought to rely on relatively low-level or automatic processes. “Grounded cognition” is the covering term for a new research perspective according to which the components of thoughts are “grounded” in modal systems for perception, action and introspection. This paper appraises the specific thesis of “grounded action cognition” and examines how to formulate an adequate theory concerning constitutive factors for both motor control and action concepts at the same time. Therefore we ask whether there is a direct connection between the domains of motor control, action perception and action concepts which consists in a common and specific ground. To elaborate a far-reaching theory of “grounded action cognition” we present general methodological considerations and empirical evidence.