You may not realize it, but your body is following in the footsteps of your mind.
According to the Journal of Psychological Science, researchers at the University of Aberdeen discovered a correlation between movement and mental time travel. The study noted that participants leaned slightly backward when reminiscing about the past and slightly forward when fantasizing about the future. The body tilts were less than 45 degrees, however, as the shifts amounted two to three millimeters one way or the other. The directional deviation was obvious and consistent, suggesting that abstract thoughts may translate to actual movements.
"Sometimes you can tell what a person is thinking by their facial expressions; if people are thinking angry thoughts you can tell by a furrowed brow, but really not from tilting a body back or forward," third-year College student Patrick Barrett said. "I think it would take a lot of attentiveness to notice those slight visual clues."
This is one of many examples that support an up-and-coming theory called "embodied cognition," which postulates that the human mind uses the body to aid with processing thoughts and ideas.
More specifically, the idea of a 'conceptual metaphor' underlies the physiological reaction to thoughts. The idea of an individual as "cold," "indifferent" or "emotionless" is metaphorically connected to ice. Other examples of conceptual metaphors include relating affection to warmth, importance to large sizes and similarities to closeness.
In a recent study at Yale University, researchers divided college students into two groups, asking the first group to hold cups of hot coffee, evoking the metaphor that affection is related to warmth. Individuals in the second group were asked to hold iced coffee in an attempt to literalize the metaphor that indifference is related to the cold. The students then were asked to evaluate the personality of a random, imaginary individual. Students who had been holding a warm beverage were more likely to judge the made-up character as "warm" and approachable than those who held the iced coffee.
"I find it interesting that somebody actually noticed the connection and that we use words and metaphors without even noticing what they mean or why we use them," Barrett said.
Conceptual metaphors also can be demonstrated in children. Studies have shown that young students who have trouble answering math equations improve in performance if they are taught using gestures.
For example, researchers have shown that it is easier for children to solve 4 + 5 + 3 = __ + 3 by grouping together the unique left-side numbers with a two-fingered V shape, and then motioning with the index finger to the blank space on the opposite side.
University Psychology Prof. Angeline Lillard refers to this tactic in her book, Montessori: The Science behind the Genius.\n"Cognition is embedded in action, by virtue of learning through these materials," she writes. "In all these exercises, movement of the body is closely entwined with cognition, since every learning exercise involves materials that children touch and move, bringing concrete embodiment to abstract concepts."
Embodied cognition also incorporates insight into the mind and body connection.
Asst. Prof. Kurt Miceli pointed out a specific condition called Takotsubo cardiomyopathy as an example of this proposed connection. Individuals suffering from this condition may find that emotional stress works to induce a sudden weakening of their heart muscles.
"This is sometimes referred to as 'broken-heart syndrome,'" he said. "It can practically mimic a heart attack, yet is caused by stress, not blocked coronary arteries."
As scientists begin to further investigate these mind-body connections, psychology has become an increasingly useful tool in studying these abstract concepts.
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