Fast or slow: How linguistic context modulates action verb perception and production?

According to the embodied cognition framework, processing action language engages perceptual and motor simulations that are modulated by action speed. However, prior studies have focused mainly on perceptual aspects, leaving unexplored its role in motor tasks such as handwriting. To address this gap, two experiments were conducted. The first validated our materials by replicating earlier findings on the effect of verb context on processing speed in a lexical decision task. The second examined its impact on handwriting. Across both tasks, participants processed identical action verbs (e.g., I run) following a slow, fast, or neutral sentence context. Results confirmed that verb context influences lexical decision times and, critically, demonstrated for the first time that it also modulates handwriting speed, with faster writing after fast contexts. These findings extend evidence for embodied simulations from perception to motor execution, opening new perspectives for studying the interface between language and motor behavior.