Physical cognition in altered gravity: link between sensorimotor and cognitive adaptability

A remarkable aspect of human behavior is the ability to respond quickly to changes in the environment. This behavioral adaptability—a hallmark of intelligence—is critical for survival and everyday function. However, the question remains open as to how the sensorimotor ability to recalibrate and adapt to physical environments is linked to the cognitive ability to modify internal mental representations of the world. Here, we used altered gravity as a model system to address this question. In a within-subject experiment, 25 participants completed a virtualreality task that required them to adapt their movements to non terrestrial gravities and a computerised task in which they had to reason about physical outcomes under varied gravitational conditions. Participants' performance in these tasks was compared against their performance under normal terrestrial gravity to measure adaptability. Our findings reveal consistent individual differences in adaptability within the sensorimotor domain and the cognitive domain. We also found a significant correlation across the domains. That is, participants who adeptly adjusted their motor actions to the altered gravitational forces also demonstrated a superior ability to adapt their cognitive strategies under similar conditions. Our findings support the theory of embodied cognition, suggesting a strong link between physical interaction with the environment and high-level cognitive processing capabilities. The study raises the possibility that training sensorimotor recalibration may enhance abstract physical reasoning or vice versa.