[vc_row][vc_column][vc_tta_accordion shape=»square» c_icon=»chevron» c_position=»right» active_section=»» no_fill=»true» collapsible_all=»true»][vc_tta_section title=»Resumen» tab_id=»resumen»][vc_column_text] Approach and avoidance are basic action tendencies for adapting to the environment: we react with an approach tendency (moving closer) to positive stimuli or incentives, and with an avoidance tendency (moving away) to negative ones. As evidence of their cognitive relevance, everyday language often describes socially meaningful actions that involve a protagonist's direction—approach or avoidance—towards other people (social interaction) or towards things. For example: Pedro accepted Noemi into his group of friends (approach) vs. Pedro removed bread from his diet (avoidance). The description of the direction of social actions is based on relatively abstract action verbs. These verbs are characterized by the intentionality that guides them—moving closer to or away from a certain stimulus—rather than by their perceptual effects of proximity/distance. In this respect, the study of affective language has shown that the emotional valence of words or phrases modulates the use of cognitive resources, due to its adaptive value. In contrast, the coding of the direction of social actions has received scant attention. On the other hand, social interaction actions have been studied based on the semantics of state verbs (admire) versus action verbs (help). Unlike physical actions, their understanding has not been examined from the perspective of embodied simulation.
However, this would involve motor representations associated with the affective component of approach/avoidance. In various published experiments, we have found support for the idea that the encoding of action verbs in social interactions involves motor components of approach/avoidance; likewise, that the evoked brain response (EBR) of encoding phrases that describe social actions is modulated by approach/avoidance and differs depending on the type of target: people vs. things. In this project, we intend to continue and expand this line of research. In particular, we propose to examine the relationship between the direction of social action and linguistic negation, and its functionality. Negation could be used to represent the attitude of avoidance (I don't want it), and would have a communicative purpose: to reverse the direction of the action; for example: (not) including meat in the diet involves avoidance. The relationship between the direction of the action and the valence of the stimulus is a subject of debate. The intentional nature of social actions would support the differentiated nature of direction and valence: we can approach the negative and avoid the positive. Furthermore, the role of individual differences in understanding social actions is of interest. The project aims to: 1) identify the motor components of approach-avoidance encoding in social actions; 2) examine the interaction of the direction of social actions with linguistic negation; 3) dissociate the contribution of action direction from stimulus valency; and 4) explore the association of approach/avoidance encoding with affective personality traits. Hypotheses are tested using action sentences targeting people and things, and behavioral and evoked brain response measures are employed in accordance with previous literature.
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Approach and avoidance are basic action tendencies for adaptation to the environment: we react with approach tendency (bringing closer) to positive stimuli or incentives, and by the tendency of avoidance ("removing") to negative ones. As evidence of its cognitive relevance, everyday language often describes actions with a social meaning that involve direction of a protagonist, either of approach or avoidance, towards other people (social relationship), or towards things. For example: «Pedro accepted Noemi in his group of friends» (approach) vs. «Pedro discarded the bread from the diet» (avoidance). The description of the direction of social actions is based on relatively abstract action verbs. Social actions would be characterized by their intentionality as aimed at approaching or removing a certain stimulus, rather than by their perceptual effects of proximity / distance from stimulus. In this regard, the study of affective language has shown that the emotional valence of words or phrases modulate the use of cognitive resources, due to their adaptive relevance. In contrast, encoding direction of social actions has received little attention. On the other hand, social relationship actions have been studied focused on the semantics of verb: state verbs (ie «to admire») vs. action verbs (ie "to help"). In contrast to physical actions, understanding of social actions has not been approached from the perspective of embodied simulation. However, it would involve motor representations associated with the affective component of the approach/avoidance. In published experiments, we have found support for the hypothesis that encoding of social relationship action verbs involves motor components of approach/avoidance. Likewise, we have found that event related potentials (ERPs) for encoding social action sentences are modulated by approach / avoidance, in a different way depending on the type of target: persons vs. things. In this project we aim at continuing and expanding this line of research. In particular, we would like to examine the relationship between social action direction and linguistic denial, and its functionality. Denial could be used to represent the attitude of avoidance ("I do not want it"), and it would have a communicative purpose: to reverse the direction of the action; for example: «(do not) include meat in the diet» involves avoidance. The relationship between the direction of action and the valence of the stimulus is a question of debate. The intentional nature of social actions would support that direction and valence could be independent: we can approach the negative and avoid the positive. In addition, the role of individual differences in the understanding of social actions is of interest. The objectives of the project are: 1) to identify the motor components of the approach-avoidance encoding in social actions, 2) to examine the interaction of social action direction with linguistic denial, 3) to dissociate the contribution of action direction from the valence of the stimulus and, 4) to explore the association of the approach/avoidance encoding with affective personality traits. The hypotheses will be tested by action phrases whose targets are people and things, and behavioral measures and event potentials are adopted according to previous literature.
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