Grounding conceptual knowledge in modality-specific systems
Abstract
The human conceptual system contains knowledge that supports all cognitive activities, including perception, memory, language and thought. According to most current theories, states in modality-specific systems for perception, action and emotion do not represent knowledge - rather, redescriptions of these states in amodal representational languages do. Increasingly, however, researchers report that re-enactments of states in modality-specific systems underlie conceptual processing. In behavioral experiments, perceptual and motor variables consistently produce effects in conceptual tasks. In brain imaging experiments, conceptual processing consistently activates modality-specific brain areas. Theoretical research shows how modality-specific re-enactments could produce basic conceptual functions, such as the type-token distinction, categorical inference, productivity, propositions and abstract concepts. Together these empirical results and theoretical analyses implicate modality-specific systems in the representation and use of conceptual knowledge.
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- Authors
- Barsalou, L. W., Kyle Simmons, W., Barbey, A. K., & Wilson, C. D.
- Affiliations
- Emory University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Barsalou, Lawrence W.
- Venue
- Trends in Cognitive Sciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-02
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 84-91
- ISSN
- 1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2117865617
- Cited by
- 1,256
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 33 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 38 · 2022: 58 · 2021: 67 · 2020: 51 · 2019: 92 · 2018: 59 · 2017: 46 · 2016: 50 · 2015: 62 · 2014: 67 · 2013: 75 · 2012: 54
- FWCI
- 3.77
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Embodied and Extended Cognition
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Categorization, perception, and language
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Philosophy and Theoretical Science
- Keywords
- conceptual knowledge, reenactment, conceptual processing, perception, motor system, emotions, amodal representation, type-token distinction, abstract concepts, propositional thought
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