A growing body of research suggests that comprehending verbal descriptions of actions relies on an internal simulation of the described action. To assess this motor resonance account of language comprehension, we first review recent developments in the literature on perception and action, with a view towards language processing. We then examine studies of language processing from an action simulation perspective. We conclude by discussing several criteria that might be helpful with regard to assessing the role of motor resonance during language comprehension.

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doi.org/10.1080/17470210701623605, hdl.handle.net/1765/62614
The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
Department of Psychology

Fischer, M., & Zwaan, R. (2008). Embodied language: A review of the role of the motor system in language comprehension. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 61(6), 825–850. doi:10.1080/17470210701623605