In the Research Unit in Cognitive and Affective Sciences, we have recently performed a series of psychophysical and brain imaging studies together with neuropsychological investigations of brain-lesioned patients to demonstrate that perception is to be considered as an active process that requires combining sensory signals with information from the body and the action system. The influence of the motor system on perception will be highlighted in the domain of spatial processing in object-oriented behaviors. Furthermore, I will also demonstrate that motor coding of space influences cognitive processes in social interaction and language comprehension. As a whole, these data support the embodied framework of perception and cognition suggesting that ideomotor representations contribute to making sense to the perceptual, conceptual and social world.
Yann Coello is full Professor of Cognitive Psychology and Neuropsychology at the University of Lille and director of the Research Unit on Cognitive and Affective Sciences. He coordinates the group Perception, Action and Communication working on active vision, motor cognition and the neuropsychology of action. He has published many papers on embodied perception and cognition, and recently the book Language and action in the cognitive neuroscience (Psychology Press). He is also the coordinator of the research centre Visual and Cultural Sciences hosted a technological platform funded by the French government (EquipEx Program, project IrDIVE) and endowed with the most recent digital and interactive technology for investigating human behaviour, cognition and culture.
Part of the Rethinking the Senses project funded by the AHRC
Learn more about the project in this recent Storify.
Venue: Room 243 (Senate House), Malet Street, London WC1E 7HU
Date and Time: 11 December 2014, 17:00 – 19:00
No need to register, just turn up on the day.
