Manipulable but not semantic distractors disrupt the selection of mechanically alternative tools

Tool use relies on multiple types of cognitive representations, including mechanical, semantic, and manipulation knowledge. While previous research has mostly focused on these components in isolation, the present study investigates how they interact during alternative tool selection. In two experiments, using a Visual World-Paradigm, participants were asked to select a mechanical substitute for a reference tool among distractors that either shared manipulation features or contextual associations. Results revealed that reaction times increased with the number of manipulation-based distractors, but not with the number of context-based semantic distractors. Moreover, the slope of this increase was significantly predicted by individual performance on a hand laterality judgment task, suggesting that motor simulation underlies this interference. We interpretated these results in the framework of the technical reasoning theory, where mechanical knowledge plays a primary role through which individuals solve physical problems through tool use. Manipulation knowledge, in contrast, appears to be activated subsequently-likely as part of motor simulation processes used to evaluate or implement the selected solution. While such activation can support action planning, it may also interfere with reasoning when it introduces irrelevant features, particularly in situations requiring unconventional tool use. This suggests that the integration of motor and mechanical representations, though functionally useful, can sometimes hinder performance when the task demands prioritize physical reasoning over motor familiarity. Future research should investigate the timing and regulation of these representations.