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Cognitive Science Perspectives on Verb Representation and Processing pp 189–212Cite as

Visual and Motor Features of the Meanings of Action Verbs: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective

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Abstract

Adopting a broad cognitive neuroscience perspective, this chapter addresses the idiosyncratic root-level semantic components of action verbs, focusing specifically on visual and motor features. Two hypotheses are considered: first, the visual–motion patterns encoded by action verbs depend on the left posterolateral temporal cortex; and second, the body-part-specific motor patterns encoded by action verbs depend on the left premotor and primary motor cortex. Recent findings supporting both hypotheses are drawn from studies employing diverse brain-mapping techniques. In addition, several issues requiring further research are identified and discussed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences, Purdue University, 715 Clinic Drive, 47907-2038, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    David Kemmerer

  2. Department of Psychological Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA

    David Kemmerer

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  1. David Kemmerer
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Correspondence to David Kemmerer .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Concordia University, Montreal, Québec, Canada

    Roberto G. de Almeida

  2. Department of Philology, University of Patras, Rio Patras, Greece

    Christina Manouilidou

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Kemmerer, D. (2015). Visual and Motor Features of the Meanings of Action Verbs: A Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective. In: de Almeida, R., Manouilidou, C. (eds) Cognitive Science Perspectives on Verb Representation and Processing. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-10112-5_9

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