The role of the motor system in action understanding and communication: Evidence from human infants and non human primates
There is growing evidence that activation of the motor system during observation of actions, a phenomenon first observed in non human primates, underlies action understanding and even communication. This review (a) examines the evidence on motor system activity as an underlying neural correlate of action understanding; (b) reviews the theoretical and empirical work linking action understanding and the development of communication, with a specific focus on the role that gestures play as an intermediary; and (c) discusses the research on and existing opportunities for understanding the link between the motor system and communication in both humans and non human primates, through the lens of action perception. Bringing together findings and perspectives from developmental social cognition in both humans and non human primates and applying recent neuroscientific perspectives will help to elucidate the processes underlying the ability to understand and communicate with others.
Developmental psychobiology