Temperature-related words such as “hot” and “cold” are often used to describe impulsive and calculated behaviors, respectively. These metaphoric connotations of thermal concepts raise the question as to whether temperature, psychological states and decision making are related to each other, and if so, how. The current research examines these questions and finds support for a relationship. Across four laboratory experiments and two field studies, I demonstrate that both hot temperature primes (e.g., pictures, words, therapeutic packs) and hot ambient temperature trigger decision outcomes in line with the metaphoric association between hot temperature and impulsivity. I suggest that the theory of embodied cognition provides an explanation for these findings.

Embodied cognition theorists suggest that cognition is bodily based and that the brain developed due to interaction with the environment, and thus evolved to facilitate sensorimotor processing. As such, one goal of embodied cognition research is to determine how the interaction between the body and the environment affects the storage and processing of semantic information. Recent neuroimaging research has shown that the sensorimotor and premotor cortices are activated somatotopically when responding to action-related stimuli. In addition, behavioural research has provided evidence in support of the theory of embodied cognition, in that the sensorimotor properties of a stimulus have been shown to affect performance on language tasks. The goal of the current research was to provide a novel and comprehensive examination of the theory of embodied cognition through the combination of multiple experimental paradigms. Several functional magnetic resonance imaging and behavioural experiments on healthy participants were carried out, as well as a behavioural study of two individuals who have undergone either a left or right hemispherectomy. The results from the functional neuroimaging experiments demonstrated that there are common regions of activation between motor movements and semantic processing, whereby sensorimotor and premotor regions that are responsible for arm and leg motor movements are also recruited when responding to arm- and leg-related action semantic knowledge. Thus these results are consistent with the theory of embodied cognition, suggesting that the motor system is involved in the processing of action-related semantic information. The behavioural results were also consistent with previous research showing that pictures have privileged access to action-related semantic knowledge. Additionally, the behavioural results with hemispherectomy patients provided evidence regarding the necessity versus sufficiency of the left and right hemispheres when responding to arm- and leg-related semantic knowledge. Finally, given that words rated as higher in body-object interaction were responded to faster than words rated as lower in body-object interaction, these results show evidence that language processing is grounded in bodily interaction and sensorimotor processing. Together, the results further advance the theory of embodied cognition, and moreover, provide an in-depth analysis of how arm- and leg-related stimuli are processed dependent upon presentation format.

Embodied cognition theorists suggest that cognition is bodily based and that the brain developed due to interaction with the environment, and thus evolved to facilitate sensorimotor processing. As such, one goal of embodied cognition research is to determine how the interaction between the body and the environment affects the storage and processing of semantic information. Recent neuroimaging research has shown that the sensorimotor and premotor cortices are activated somatotopically when responding to action-related stimuli. In addition, behavioural research has provided evidence in support of the theory of embodied cognition, in that the sensorimotor properties of a stimulus have been shown to affect performance on language tasks. The goal of the current research was to provide a novel and comprehensive examination of the theory of embodied cognition through the combination of multiple experimental paradigms. Several functional magnetic resonance imaging and behavioural experiments on healthy participants were carried out, as well as a behavioural study of two individuals who have undergone either a left or right hemispherectomy. The results from the functional neuroimaging experiments demonstrated that there are common regions of activation between motor movements and semantic processing, whereby sensorimotor and premotor regions that are responsible for arm and leg motor movements are also recruited when responding to arm- and leg-related action semantic knowledge. Thus these results are consistent with the theory of embodied cognition, suggesting that the motor system is involved in the processing of action-related semantic information. The behavioural results were also consistent with previous research showing that pictures have privileged access to action-related semantic knowledge. Additionally, the behavioural results with hemispherectomy patients provided evidence regarding the necessity versus sufficiency of the left and right hemispheres when responding to arm- and leg-related semantic knowledge. Finally, given that words rated as higher in body-object interaction were responded to faster than words rated as lower in body-object interaction, these results show evidence that language processing is grounded in bodily interaction and sensorimotor processing. Together, the results further advance the theory of embodied cognition, and moreover, provide an in-depth analysis of how arm- and leg-related stimuli are processed dependent upon presentation format.

Temperature-related words such as “hot” and “cold” are often used to describe impulsive and calculated behaviors, respectively. These metaphoric connotations of thermal concepts raise the question as to whether temperature, psychological states and decision making are related to each other, and if so, how. The current research examines these questions and finds support for a relationship. Across four laboratory experiments and two field studies, I demonstrate that both hot temperature primes (e.g., pictures, words, therapeutic packs) and hot ambient temperature trigger decision outcomes in line with the metaphoric association between hot temperature and impulsivity. I suggest that the theory of embodied cognition provides an explanation for these findings.

This thesis looks at a relatively new line of research in Cognitive Science – embodied cognition. Its relation to the computational-representational paradigm, primarily symbolicism, is extensively discussed. It is argued that embodied cognition is compatible with the established paradigm but challenges its research focus and traditionally assumed segregation of cognition from bodily and worldly activities Subsequently the impact of embodied cognition on philosophy of Cognitive Science is considered. The second chapter defends the applicability of mechanistic explanation to cases of embodied cognition. Further, it argues that a proposed alternative, dynamic systems theory, is not a substitute to the mechanistic approach. The last chapter critically examines the thesis that mind is extended beyond the bodily boundary and into the world. It is concluded that arguments in favour of the extended mind thesis are inadequate. Considerations in favour of the orthodox view that the does not “leak” out into the world are also presented.

This thesis looks at a relatively new line of research in Cognitive Science – embodied cognition. Its relation to the computational-representational paradigm, primarily symbolicism, is extensively discussed. It is argued that embodied cognition is compatible with the established paradigm but challenges its research focus and traditionally assumed segregation of cognition from bodily and worldly activities Subsequently the impact of embodied cognition on philosophy of Cognitive Science is considered. The second chapter defends the applicability of mechanistic explanation to cases of embodied cognition. Further, it argues that a proposed alternative, dynamic systems theory, is not a substitute to the mechanistic approach. The last chapter critically examines the thesis that mind is extended beyond the bodily boundary and into the world. It is concluded that arguments in favour of the extended mind thesis are inadequate. Considerations in favour of the orthodox view that the does not “leak” out into the world are also presented.

How, at a fundamental level, do people construe their social world? Mainstream perspectives on social cognition posit that we do so largely by applying hierarchically structured concepts (or schemas) about similar classes of people and events to selectively interpret and elaborate on the complex array of social information. In this dissertation I propose a complementary perspective according to which people lend meaning to the social world in large part through conceptual metaphors that use the structure of familiar, typically concrete concepts to reason about and evaluate information in dissimilar, typically more abstract conceptual domains. I describe a model of metaphor-enriched social cognition (MESC) that provides a preliminary framework for understanding the role of conceptual metaphor in everyday social thought and action. I review research supporting hypotheses derived from the model with respect to the effects of conceptual metaphor on social perception, attitudes, and behavior, and I present four studies designed to further test these hypotheses. Study 1 shows that the sensation of being physically burdened increased the subjective obligatory nature of everyday activities. Study 2 shows that images depicting historically significant people and events (both positively and negatively valenced) were perceived as larger in size than those depicting historically insignificant people and events. In Study 3, priming participants with the beneficial consequences of physical covering led to more permissive attitudes toward the government withholding information from the public, and this effect was specific to those with ambivalent prior attitudes toward the value of governmental secrecy. Study 4 showed that a heightened motivation to protect one's own body from contamination led to harsher attitudes toward immigrants entering the United States among those subtly primed to conceptualize the country as a body but not those primed with a literal conception of the country. Although further research and theoretical refinement are necessary, the MESC model is a step toward acquiring a richer, more general conception of everyday social meaning-making and its implications for social life.

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Embodied design is a response to what I know of landscape architecture. At the heart of this practicum lies the question of how to better connect the body, mind and environment. It is through the simple act of walking that I begin to uncover the body (both emotionally and physically) as well as the landscape(and all its many attributes). Through an investigation of the phenomenological body I attempt to dissolve dualistic thinking and get back to the lived experience, in turn creating a stronger connection to the sensuous world, as well as the people, plants and animals who we ultimately design for.

Embodied design is a response to what I know of landscape architecture. At the heart of this practicum lies the question of how to better connect the body, mind and environment. It is through the simple act of walking that I begin to uncover the body (both emotionally and physically) as well as the landscape(and all its many attributes). Through an investigation of the phenomenological body I attempt to dissolve dualistic thinking and get back to the lived experience, in turn creating a stronger connection to the sensuous world, as well as the people, plants and animals who we ultimately design for.