When Height Carries Weight: Communicating Hidden Object Properties for Joint Action

Laura Schmitz, Cordula Vesper, Natalie Sebanz, Günther Knoblich

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

In the absence of pre-established communicative conventions, people create novel communication systems to successfully coordinate their actions toward a joint goal. In this study, we address two types of such novel communication systems: sensorimotor communication, where the kinematics of instrumental actions are systematically modulated, versus symbolic communication. We ask which of the two systems co-actors preferentially create when aiming to communicate about hidden object properties such as weight. The results of three experiments consistently show that actors who knew the weight of an object transmitted this weight information to their uninformed co-actors by systematically modulating their instrumental actions, grasping objects of particular weights at particular heights. This preference for sensorimotor communication was reduced in a fourth experiment where co-actors could communicate with weight-related symbols. Our findings demonstrate that the use of sensorimotor communication extends beyond the communication of spatial locations to non-spatial, hidden object properties.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2021-2059
Number of pages39
JournalCognitive Science
Volume42
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 2018

Keywords

  • Coordination
  • Coordination strategy
  • Experimental semiotics
  • Joint action
  • Sensorimotor communication
  • Social cognition

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