• Research in embodied and grounded cognition focuses on how the body, brain, and environment interact to produce intelligent behavior. In cognitive neuroscience, it is believed that our ability to plan actions, communicate thoughts, and work together comes from simulations in specific parts of the brain, which are influenced by our surroundings and context. This approach views representations in the brain as powerful, predictive tools that integrate the brain, body, and environment.

    Matheson, H. E., Barsalou, L. W., CENTER FOR COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, & INSTITUTE OF NEUROSCIENCE AND PSYCHOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW. (2021). Embodiment and grounding in cognitive neuroscience. In The Stevens? Handbook of Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Fourth Edition [Book]. https://barsaloulab.org/Online_Articles/2018-Matheson_Barsalou-Stevens_Handbook.pdf

  • Embodiment in psychology suggests that the body is crucial for emotions, motivation, and cognition. We review neuroscience research showing that facial expressions, hand movements, and posture affect approach motivation. We also discuss facial-feedback theories, grounded cognition, and mirror neurons. We conclude that body movements and emotions influence each other and suggest new research directions.

    Price, T. F., Peterson, C. K., & Harmon-Jones, E. (2011). The emotive neuroscience of embodiment. Motivation and Emotion. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11031-011-9258-1

  • The embodiment framework is the idea that how we think and feel is closely tied to our bodies, including our senses, movements, and emotions. This approach suggests that our physical experiences shape our mental processes. The article starts by explaining why this idea makes sense, touching on evolution and philosophy. It then looks at different ways people study embodiment, like how language and symbols are connected to our physical experiences, and how our actions influence our thoughts. Finally, it gives examples of how this approach can help us understand various areas, such as how we think and remember, how we grow and develop socially, and how we can use this knowledge in psychology and education.

    Schubert, T. W., & Semin, G. R. (2009). Embodiment as a unifying perspective for psychology. European Journal of Social Psychology, 39(7), 1135–1141. https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.670

  • This study investigated the impact of a short-term body-scan meditation technique from Vipassana practice on cognitive functions. A total of 77 participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 37) practicing daily 25-minute body-scan meditation sessions for six days or an active control group (n = 40) engaging in fiction reading and listening to soothing music for the same duration. The study assessed reaction time, attention, learning, working memory, and social-emotional cognition. Results indicated that short-term mindfulness meditation led to a decrease in reaction time and an increase in attention, with a mild effect size. These findings suggest that brief mindfulness practice may serve as an alternative for individuals unable to engage in long-term meditation courses.

    Ussher, M., Spatz, A., Copland, C., Nicolaou, A., Cargill, A., Amini-Tabrizi, N., & McCracken, L. M. (2012). Immediate effects of a brief mindfulness-based body scan on patients with chronic pain. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 37(1), 127–134. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10865-012-9466-5

  • This study investigated the effects of a short-term body-scan meditation technique from Vipassana practice on specific cognitive functions. A total of 77 participants were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (n = 37) or an active control group (n = 40). The average age of participants was 21.67 ± 1.16 years in the experimental group and 21.40 ± 3.14 years in the control group. The experimental group engaged in body-scan mindfulness meditation for six consecutive days, with each session lasting 25 minutes. Meanwhile, the control group spent an equal amount of time reading fiction of their choice and listening to soothing music. The study measured five cognitive functions: reaction time, attention, learning, working memory, and social-emotional cognition.

    Results indicated that short-term mindfulness meditation led to a decrease in reaction time and an increase in attention, though with a mild effect size. These findings suggest that brief mindfulness practices may serve as a viable alternative for individuals unable to commit to long-term meditation programs.

    Adhikari, K., Kothari, F., & Khadka, A. (2018). The effect of Short-Term Training of Vipassana’s Body-Scan on select cognitive functions. Psychological Studies, 63(3), 228–235. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12646-018-0461-y

  • Despite decades of methodological advancements, Western education remains rooted in traditional, mentalistic approaches that separate mind and body. Most learning environments emphasize passive activities like sitting, watching, listening, and writing. This paper explores embodied learning as a neuroscientific alternative, reviewing its behavioral effectiveness in second language learning, mathematics, and spatial thinking. After a brief historical overview, I will examine key brain mechanisms underlying embodied learning and advocate for instructional practices that integrate body and mind.

    Macedonia, M. (2019). Embodied Learning: Why at school the mind needs the body. Frontiers in Psychology, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02098

  • The evolution of intelligence is deeply tied to morphology, yet the principles linking environmental complexity, evolved forms, and learning remain unclear. We introduce Deep Evolutionary Reinforcement Learning (DERL), a framework that evolves diverse morphologies to master complex tasks. Our findings reveal that environmental complexity fosters morphological intelligence, evolution selects for faster learning (a morphological Baldwin effect), and adaptive morphologies enhance stability and efficiency, ultimately improving learning and control.

    Gupta, A., Savarese, S., Ganguli, S., & Fei-Fei, L. (2021). Embodied intelligence via learning and evolution. Nature Communications, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-25874-z