Chapter 17
Understanding gesture as representational action
A functional account of how action and gesture differ with respect to thinking and learning
A great deal of attention has recently been paid to gesture and its effects on thinking and learning. This chapter sets forth a theoretical framework for exploring why gesture serves the functions that it does. The framework distinguishes gestures, which are representational actions, from instrumental actions, which interact directly with objects and cause physical changes to the world. The theory proposes that gesture’s status as representational action is what best explains its functions with respect to thinking and learning. Most notably, because gestures are abstracted representations and are not actions tied to particular events and objects, they can play a powerful role in thinking and learning beyond the particular, specifically, in supporting generalization and transfer of knowledge.
Article outline
- Part 1.Processing movement as gesture
- Part 2.The unique functions of gesture in communication, problem solving, and learning
- Communication
- Doing gesture
- Seeing gesture
- Problem solving
- Doing gesture
- Seeing gesture
- Learning
- Doing gesture
- Seeing gesture
- Part 3.What’s next?
- Conclusions
-
Acknowledgements
-
References
References (63)
References
Baldwin, Dare A. and Baird, Jodie A. 2001. “Discerning intentions in dynamic human action.” Trends in Cognitive Sciences 5: 171–178. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bates, Elizabeth, Camaioni, Luigia and Volterra, Virginia 1975. “The acquisition of performatives prior to speech.” Merrill-Palmer Quarterly of Behavior and Development 21 (3): 205–226.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Behne, Tanya, Liszkowski, Ulf, Carpenter, Malinda and Tomasello, Michael 2012. “Twelve-month-olds’ comprehension and production of pointing.” British Journal of Developmental Psychology 30(3): 359–375. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Beilock, Sian L. and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2010. “Gesture changes thought by grounding it in action. ” Psychological Science 21 (11): 1605–1610. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bernardis, Paolo and Gentilucci, Maurizio 2006. “Speech and gesture share the same communication system.” Neuropsychologia 44 (2): 178–190. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Bower, Gordon H. and Rinck, Mike 1999. “Goals as generators of activation in narrative understanding.” In Narrative comprehension, causality, and coherence: Essays in honor of Tom Trabasso, Susan R. Goldman, Arthur C. Graesser and Paul van den Broek (eds.), 111–134. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Broaders, Sara C., Cook, Susan W., Mitchell, Zachary and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2007. “Making children gesture brings out implicit knowledge and leads to learning.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 136 (4): 539–550. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Brooks, Neon and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2016. “Moving to Learn: How Guiding the Hands Can Set the Stage for Learning. ” Cognitive Science 40: 1831–1849. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Capone, Nina C. and McGregor, Karla K. 2005. “The effect of semantic representation on toddlers' word retrieval.” Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research 48 (6): 1468–1480. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Church, R. Breckinridge, Kelly, Spencer and Holcombe, David 2014. “Temporal synchrony between speech, action and gesture during language production.” Language, Cognition and Neuroscience 29 (3): 345–354. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cook, Susan W., Duffy, Ryan G. and Fenn, Kimberly M. 2013. “Consolidation and transfer of learning after observing hand gesture.” Child development 84 (6): 1863–1871. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cook, Susan W., Mitchell, Zachary and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2008. “Gesturing makes learning last.” Cognition 106 (2): 1047–1058. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cook, Susan W. and Tanenhaus, Michael K. 2009. “Embodied communication: Speaker's gestures affect listeners' actions.” Cognition 113 (1): 98–104. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cook, Susan W., Yip, Terina K. and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2012. “Gestures, but not meaningless movements, lighten working memory load when explaining math.” Language and Cognitive Processes 27 (4): 594–610. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Congdon, Eliza L., Novack, Miriam A., Brooks, Neon B., Hemani-Lopez, Naureen, O’Keefe, Lucy and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2017. “Better together: Simultaneous presentation of speech and gesture in math instruction supports generalization and retention.” Manuscript submitted for publication.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
DeLoache, Judy S. 1995. “Early understanding and use of symbols: The model model.” Current Directions in Psychological Science 4 (4): 109–113. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Driskell, James E. and Radtke, Paul H. 2003. “The effect of gesture on speech production and comprehension.” Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 45 (3): 445–454. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Fausey, Caitlin M., Jayaraman, Swapnaa and Smith, Linda B. 2016. “From faces to hands: Changing visual input in the first two years.” Cognition 152: 101–107. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2003. Hearing Gesture: How Our Hands Help Us Think. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Goldin-Meadow, Susan and Beilock, Sian L. 2010. “Action’s influence on thought: The case of gesture.” Perspectives on Psychological Science 5 (6): 664–674. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Goldin-Meadow, Susan, Cook, Susan W. and Mitchell, Zachary A. 2009. “Gesturing gives children new ideas about math.” Psychological Science 20 (3): 267–272. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Goldin-Meadow, Susan, Nusbaum, Howard, Kelly, Spencer D. and Wagner, Susan 2001. “Explaining math: gesturing lightens the load.” Psychological Science 12 (6): 516–522. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Goodrich, Whitney, and Hudson Kam, Carla L. 2009. “Co-speech gesture as input in verb learning.” Developmental Science 12 (1): 81–87. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hilliard, Caitlin and Cook, Susan W. 2015. “A technique for continuous measurement of body movement from video.” Behavior Research Methods: 1–12.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hostetter, Autumn B. 2011. “When do gestures communicate? A meta-analysis.” Psychological Bulletin 137 (2): 297–315. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Hostetter, Autumn B., and Alibali, Martha W. 2008. “Visible embodiment: Gestures as simulated action.” Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 15 (3): 495–514. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Iverson, Jana M. and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2005. “Gesture paves the way for language development.” Psychological Science 16 (5): 368–371. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
James, Karin H. 2010. “Sensori-motor experience leads to changes in visual processing in the developing brain.” Developmental Science 13 (2): 279–288. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
James, Karin H. and Atwood, Thea P. 2009. “The role of sensorimotor learning in the perception of letter-like forms: Tracking the causes of neural specialization for letters.” Cognitive Neuropsychology 26 (1): 91–110. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
James, Karin H. and Swain, Shelley N. 2011. “Only self-generated actions create sensori-motor systems in the developing brain.” Developmental science 14 (4): 673–678. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kendon, Adam 1980. “Gesticulation and speech: Two aspects of the process of utterance.” In The Relationship of Verbal and Nonverbal Communication, Mary R. Key (ed), 207–227. The Hague, the Netherlands: Mouton.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kelly, Spencer, Healey, Meghan, Özyürek, Asli and Holler, Judith 2015. “The processing of speech, gesture, and action during language comprehension.” Psychonomic Bulletin & Review 22 (2): 517–523. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kelly, Spencer D., Özyürek, Aslı and Maris, Eric 2010. “Two sides of the same coin speech and gesture mutually interact to enhance comprehension.” Psychological Science 21 (2): 260–267. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Kita, Sotaro, and Özyürek, Asli 2003. “What does cross-linguistic variation in semantic coordination of speech and gesture reveal?: Evidence for an interface representation of spatial thinking and speaking.” Journal of Memory and Language 48 (1): 16–32. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Krehm, Madelaine, Onishi, Kristine H. and Vouloumanos, Athena 2014. “I see your point: infants under 12 months understand that pointing is communicative.” Journal of Cognition and Development 15 (4): 527–538. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
LeBarton, Eve S., Goldin-Meadow, Susan and Raudenbush, Stephen 2015. “Experimentally induced increases in early gesture lead to increases in spoken vocabulary.” Journal of Cognition and Development 16 (2): 199–220. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Lucca, Kelsey R. and Wilbourn, Makeba P. 2016. “Communicating to Learn: Infants’ Pointing Gestures Facilitate Fast Mapping.” Child Development. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Macedonia, Manuela, Müller, Karsten and Friederici, Angela D. 2011. “The impact of iconic gestures on foreign language word learning and its neural substrate.” Human Brain Mapping 32 (6): 982–998. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McGregor, Karla K., Rohlfing, Katharina J., Bean, Allison and Marschner, Ellen 2009. “Gesture as a support for word learning: The case of under.” Journal of Child Language 36 (4): 807–828. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McNeil, Nicole M., Uttal, David H., Jarvin, Linda and Sternberg, Robert J. 2009. “Should you show me the money? Concrete objects both hurt and help performance on mathematics problems.” Learning and Instruction 19 (2): 171–184. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McNeil, Nicole M., Alibali, Martha W. and Evans, Julia L. 2000. “The role of gesture in children's comprehension of spoken language: Now they need it, now they don't.” Journal of Nonverbal Behavior 24 (2): 131–150. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
McNeill, David 1992. Hand and Mind: What Gestures Reveal about Thought. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Novack, Miriam A., Congdon, Eliza L, Hemani-Lopez, Naureen and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2014. “From action to abstraction: Using the hands to learn math.” Psychological Science, 25 (4): 903–910. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Novack, Miriam A., Goldin-Meadow, Susan and Woodward, Amanda L. (2015). “Learning from gesture: How early does it happen?” Cognition 142: 138–147. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Novack, Miriam A., Wakefield, Elizabeth M., and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2016. “What makes a movement a gesture?” Cognition 146: 339–348. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Novack, Miriam A., Wakefield, Elizabeth M., Congdon Eliza L., Franconeri, Steven and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2016. “There is more to gesture than meets the eye: Visual attention to gesture’s referents cannot account for its facilitative effects during math instruction.” In Proceedings of the 38th Annual Conference of the Cognitive Science Society, Anna Papgragou, Daniel Grodner, Daneil Mirman and John Trueswell (eds.), 2141–2146. Philadelphia, PA: Cognitive Science Society.![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ping, Raedy M. and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2008. “Hands in the air: using ungrounded iconic gestures to teach children conservation of quantity.” Developmental Psychology 44 (5): 1277–1287. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ping, Raedy and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2010. “Gesturing saves cognitive resources when talking about non-present objects.” Cognitive Science 34 (4): 602–619. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Ping, Raedy M., Goldin-Meadow, Susan and Beilock, Sian L. 2014. “Understanding gesture: Is the listener’s motor system involved?” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 143 (1): 195–204. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Schachner, Adena and Carey, Susan 2013. “Reasoning about 'irrational' actions: When intentional movements cannot be explained, the movements themselves are seen as the goal.” Cognition 129 (2): 309–327. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Searle, John R. 1980. “The intentionality of intention and action.” Cognitive Science 4 (1): 47–70. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Singer, Melissa A. and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2005. “Children learn when their teacher’s gestures and speech differ.” Psychological Science 16 (2): 85–89. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Trabasso, Tom, and Nickels, Margret 1992. “The development of goal plans of action in the narration of a picture story.” Discourse Processes 15 (3): 249–275. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Trofatter, Caroline, Kontra, Carly, Beilock, Sian and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2015. “Gesturing has a larger impact on problem-solving than action, even when action is accompanied by words.” Language, Cognition and Neuroscience 30 (3): 251–260. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Uttal, David H., Scudder, Kathyrn V. and DeLoache, Judy S. 1997. “Manipulatives as symbols: A new perspective on the use of concrete objects to teach mathematics.” Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology 18 (1): 37–54. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Valenzeno, Laura, Alibali, Martha W. and Klatzky, Roberta 2003. “Teachers’ gestures facilitate students’ learning: A lesson in symmetry.” Contemporary Educational Psychology 28 (2): 187–204. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Wagner, Susan, Nusbaum, Howard and Goldin-Meadow, Susan 2004. “Probing the mental representation of gesture: Is handwaving spatial?” Journal of Memory and Language 50 (4): 395–407. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Wakefield, Elizabeth M., Congdon, Eliza L., Novack, Miriam A., Goldin-Meadow, Susan and James, Karin 2017. “Learning Math by Hand: The neural effects of gesture-based instruction in 8-year-old children.” Manuscript submitted for publication![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Woodward, Amanda L. 1998. “Infants selectively encode the goal object of an actor’s reach.” Cognition 69 (1): 1–34 ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Woodward, Amanda L. and Guajardo, Jose J. 2002. “Infants’ understanding of the point gesture as an object-directed action.” Cognitive Development 17 (1): 1061–1084. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Yoon, Jennifer M.D., Johnson, Mark H. and Csibra, Gergely 2008. “Communication-induced memory biases in preverbal infants.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 105 (36): 13690–13695. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Zacks, Jeffrey M., Tversky, Barbara, and Iyer, Gowri 2001. “Perceiving, remembering, and communicating structure in events.” Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 130 (1): 29–58. ![DOI logo](https://benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
![Google Scholar](https://benjamins.com/logos/google-scholar.svg)
Cited by (1)
Cited by one other publication
Sgard, Clara, Jean‐Christophe Bier & Philippe Peigneux
2021.
Gesturing helps memory encoding in aMCI.
Journal of Neuropsychology 15:3
► pp. 396 ff.
![DOI logo](//benjamins.com/logos/doi-logo.svg)
This list is based on CrossRef data as of 14 july 2024. Please note that it may not be complete. Sources presented here have been supplied by the respective publishers.
Any errors therein should be reported to them.