ERP evidence for semantic facilitation of tool-grasping by tool-using actions

Research has shown that the human visual system recognizes manipulated objects more efficiently than faces, numbers, or text, largely due to their manipulability. According to the two-action system theory, manipulative actions can be categorized into grasping actions and using actions, providing a framework for understanding how these two types of actions are represented. For a long time, researchers assumed that correctly grasping an object ensured its appropriate use. However, the concept of 'second-order planning' challenges this view, suggesting that using actions can influence the selection of grasping actions, and that cognition of the two action types is not entirely independent. Building on the embodied cognition framework, which emphasizes the integration of perception, action, and higher-order cognition, the present study investigated how using actions facilitate the cognitive processing of grasping actions from an action-language perspective. We employed a semantic priming paradigm using verbs representing the two using action types to examine their impact on participants' behavioral responses and electrophysiological measures during a grasping action judgment task. The results revealed significant positive priming effects, with faster reaction times in semantically congruent conditions. ERP analyses indicated modulations in the P200, N400, P600, and a pronounced P300 component associated with semantic congruency. These findings demonstrate that using actions facilitate the recognition of grasping actions via semantic processing and provide evidence for the cognitive interrelation between the two types of manipulative actions. Overall, the study enriches the embodied cognition framework within the domain of manipulative action-language research.