Embodied representation of approach and avoidance attitudes by language: Pro is forward, against is backward

Abstract

Approach and avoidance have been incorporated into language by means of attitudinal verbs; for example, “Pedro admitted/blocked Rosa in WhatsApp.” Representation of attitudes in language would reuse previous motor reactions associated with individuals’ approach (forward) and avoidance (backward) towards stimuli. We examine the modulation of reading relationship-action sentences in the execution of concurrent motor actions. We manipulated the delay between the sentence display and the visual prompt for motor response: 300 ms and 800 ms. If approach-avoidance verbs recruit motor representations, sentence reading will modulate the execution of the motor action. We found that sentence interfered with motor action at 300 ms delay while facilitated it at 800 ms delay in congruent conditions: approach-forward and avoidance-backward. This result supports that sentence understanding and motor action execution share motor processes. Implications are discussed for embodiment of social cognition in the ambit of relationship actions and their interwoven with language to facilitate social navigation.