A review of ideomotor approaches to perception,cognition, action,and language: advancing a cultural recycling hypothesis

The term “cultural recycling” derives from the neuronal recycling hypothesis, which suggests that representations of cultural inventions like written words, Arabic numbers, or tools can occupy brain areas dedicated to other functions. In the present selective review article, we propose a recycling hypothesis for the ideomotor mechanism. The ideomotor approach assumes that motor actions are controlled by the anticipation of the expected perceptual consequences that they aim to generate in the environment. Arguably, such action–perception mechanisms contribute to motor behaviour for human and non-human animals since millions of years. However, recent empirical studies suggest that the ideomotor mechanism can also contribute to word processing, number representation, and arithmetic. For instance, it has been shown that the anticipatory simulation of abstract semantics, like the numerical quantitative value of three items can prime processing of the associated Arabic number “3”. Arabic numbers, words, or tools represent cultural inventions, so that, from a theoretical perspective, we suggest an ideomotor recycling hypothesis for the interaction with such artefacts. In this view, the ideomotor mechanism spreads its influence to other functions beyond motor control, and is recycled to flexibly adapt different human behaviours towards dealing with more abstract concepts.     

Development of anxiety arousal in group psychotherapy

37 patients taken from three psychotherapy groups had completed a course of communication training as preparation for dynamic group psychotherapy. Two anxiety tests were performed at different times before, during and after the therapy. After completion of the communication training, the anxiety diminished as a result of general factors that had come into effect. After completion of the dynamic group psychotherapy they diminished owing to a genuine improvement in social competence. The different modes of action of two psychotherapeutic methods are clearly shown.     

A hypertext-based tutorial with links to the Web for teaching statistics and research methods

An online tutorial for research design and statistics is described. This tutorial provides a way for students to learn how scales of measure, research design, statistics, and graphing data are related. The tutorial also helps students determine what statistical analysis is appropriate for a given design and how the results of the analysis should be plotted in order to effectively communicate the results of a study. Initial research suggests that students using the tutorial are more accurate in their decisions about the design and statistics associated with a study. Students are also more confident in the decisions and find them easier to make when using the tutorial. Furthermore, practice with the tutorial appears to improve problem-solving ability in subsequent design and statistics scenarios. Implications for teaching statistics and research design are discussed.