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Over at the Boston Globe today, there’s an interesting story about the buzz surrounding “embodied cognition.” As in, when squirming helps you solve that quadratic equation.
A series of studies, the latest published in
November, has shown that children can solve math problems better if they are told to use their hands while thinking. Another recent study suggested that stage actors remember their lines better when they are moving. And in one study published last year, subjects asked to move their eyes in a specific pattern while puzzling through a brainteaser were twice as likely to solve it.
I’m a good example of this…I mean, if you make me sit on my hands, whole areas of my brain seize. If we’re having a tête-à-tête, you’re going to need a generous radius, because my hands will be underlining everything I say. A lot of women open their mouths while putting on eye makeup, and when I was a gymnast there were the girls who were chastised for sticking their tongues out while on the balance beam. There was typically a “But I can’t help it!” in response, and now it seems, in fact, you wouldn’t want her to help it: it’s keeping her balanced…So what do you think: do motor skills help you solve certain problems?
Of course! I can attest to a few of the examples myself. As an amateur actor, the whole memorizing lines thing is a big one. Pacing definitely helps me. And then when you’re running a scene, position on stage, gestures, they all help keep you on track of where you are and you’re supposed to be doing and saying.
And my wife used to be a Montessori teacher, and the way they taught math was with “manipulatives” - things that can be manipulated. And beads and cubes in rows of ten that could be stacked, etc.
posted by mac on 1-15-2008 at 7:35 pm
This is funny. Just the other day I realized that every time I look for something I tend to raise my ears.I only realized it recently as I’ve been wearing my glasses more. Haven’t checked to see if the ear thing is actually HELPING to find anything or not
posted by Frank on 1-15-2008 at 7:39 pm
i know i figdet like crazy when im working on my differential equation homework. my mom always told me to stop it when id start kicking my foot, but that only made me aware of it and aware of how much i wanted to continue fidgeting, ironically enough, in order to keep concentrating on my work.
posted by ryan on 1-15-2008 at 7:46 pm
On a side note, opening your mouth whilst applying make-up helps because it pulls the fleshy part of the cheek taut and thereby provides more room to access your eye area. So there is a physical reason behind this mental instinct.
Another one that has some scientific basis is opening and closing your mouth whilst feeding a baby - we do it without even realising, but babies learn to mimic the process and chew their own food.
The rocking motion that most people adopt when holding a newborn is also an instinctive movement - it simulates the movements the fetus experienced in the womb and they are therefore more likely to feel safe and contented.
For the poking out of tongues to increase concentration…I have no idea.
posted by lisa on 1-15-2008 at 10:36 pm
Gesticulation is my middle name. To much mockery, but whatevs, it works for me and my brain.
posted by Jessica on 1-16-2008 at 8:57 am
I apply all sorts of physical cues to problem solving. When I’m doing some sort of math in my head I use the fingers of my left hand like an abacus. I memorize things by using an old bardic technique - each joint of each hand is correlated with a walk thru of rooms in a house where the items I’m trying to remember are symbolized… a picture on a wall, furniture, tableware, whatever.
Now, remembering someone’s name from a party last month is tricky. Never was very good at that, although I tend to visualize the person’s name written on their forehead. Tacky, but it works.
I fidget constantly. Have been told by more than one lady that I twitch in my sleep. As a former professional musician (keyboardist), I know that I do finger exercises while asleep and have often gone to rest not knowing a particular passage and awakened with the knowledge of how it’s done. Get up from the bed and it’s there - just have to practice it to get it hard-wired into the system. Must’ve let the subconscious have it’s way. It works for me.
I also look up and to the left when I’m problem solving or recalling events or book learning. I’m told this is a cue to consult the left brain. I look up and to the right when I’m working out music - right brain, if you believe in that partitioning of the mind.
posted by Doc on 1-16-2008 at 8:57 am
I have found a strange correlation between singing and using my hand or fingers (almost like a conductor) to “get” to the note or notes I’m singing. I never realized this was odd until I saw Mariah Carry doing the same thing when she sings!
posted by Amy on 1-16-2008 at 11:19 am
When I was homeschooled, my brother used to constantly fiddle with anything his feet could reach while working on his schooling. My mum finally ended up buying him a large foam ball to play with!
I know for me, when running through flashcards, I remember them better when pacing the room.
posted by Korin on 1-16-2008 at 12:08 pm
If you were to tie Joe Cocker’s arms down, he simply would not be able to sing.
posted by thebrokedown on 1-21-2008 at 7:37 pm