I find embodied cognition of great interest, and am glad practical applications are being found. (A previous post about embodied cognition.) From Body movements can influence problem solving, researchers report (Science Blog):
"Our manipulation is changing the way people think," said University of Illinois psychology professor Alejandro Lleras ... . "In other words, by directing the way people move their bodies, we are - unbeknownst to them - directing the way they think about the problem."
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"The results are interesting both because body motion can affect higher order thought, the complex thinking needed to solve complicated problems, and because this effect occurs even when someone else is directing the movements of the person trying to solve the problem," Lleras said.
The new findings offer new insight into what researchers call "embodied cognition," which describes the link between body and mind, Lleras said.
"People tend to think that their mind lives in their brain, dealing in conceptual abstractions, very
much disconnected from the body," he said. "This emerging research is fascinating because it is demonstrating how your body is a part of your mind in a powerful way. The way you think is affected by your body and, in fact, we can use our bodies to help us think."
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"We view this as a really important new window into understanding the complexity of human thought," he said. "I guess another take-home message is this: If you are stuck trying to solve a problem, take a break. Go do something else. This will ensure that the next time you think about that problem you will literally approach it with a different mind. And that may help!"
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