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This episode explores whether the human mind functions as an abstract symbol processor or a physical simulator deeply rooted in bodily experience. We delve into the 'modality switch effect', a phenomenon where shifting from one sensory modality to another, such as from sound to sight, incurs a measurable cognitive penalty. Foundational research initially suggested that people are consistently slower when verifying properties of concepts across different senses, suggesting the brain must physically reconfigure its neural resources to understand language. However, later studies proposed that our brains might be efficient rather than thorough, often relying on 'quick and fuzzy' linguistic shortcuts before booting up heavy sensory simulations. New evidence from event-related potential studies shows that this sensory activation occurs as early as 160 milliseconds after seeing a word, reinforcing the idea that grounding is a fundamental part of accessing meaning. We also discuss findings that demonstrate how even second languages, typically learned in abstract classroom settings, recruit the body's native sensory systems. Furthermore, the latest research indicates that these perceptual simulations are so automatic they activate even during 'shallow' tasks where participants are not explicitly trying to process word meaning. Finally, we consider what this means for a world increasingly dominated by flat screens and artificial intelligence, questioning if a lack of physical interaction might lead to a shallowing of human thought.

References (in order of appearance)

Pecher, D., Zeelenberg, R., & Barsalou, L. W. (2003). Verifying different-modality properties for concepts produces switching costs. Psychological Science, 14(2), 119–124. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9280.t01-1-01429

Louwerse, M., & Connell, L. (2011). A taste of words: Linguistic context and perceptual simulation predict the modality of words. Cognitive Science, 35(2), 381–398. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1551-6709.2010.01157.x

Collins, J., Pecher, D., Zeelenberg, R., & Coulson, S. (2011). Modality switching in a property verification task: An ERP study of what happens when candles flicker after high heels click. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, Article 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00010

Hald, L. A., Marshall, J.-A., Janssen, D. P., & Garnham, A. (2011). Switching modalities in a sentence verification task: ERP evidence for embodied language processing. Frontiers in Psychology, 2, Article 45. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2011.00045

Bernabeu, P., Willems, R. M., & Louwerse, M. M. (2017). Modality switch effects emerge early and increase throughout conceptual processing: Evidence from ERPs. In G. Gunzelmann, A. Howes, T. Tenbrink, & E. J. Davelaar (Eds.), Proceedings of the 39th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 1629-1634). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/a5pcz

Platonova, O., & Miklashevsky, A. (2025). Warm and fuzzy: Perceptual semantics can be activated even during shallow lexical processing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 51(9), 1471–1496. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/xlm0001429

Wentura, D., Shi, E., & Degner, J. (2024). Examining modal and amodal language processing in proficient bilinguals: Evidence from the modality-switch paradigm. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 18, Article 1426093. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1426093