JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
  • About K
  • Academics
  • Admission
  • Alumni Relations
  • Giving to K
  • News & Events
  • Student Life
  • HORNET HIVE
  • ATHLETICS
  • SITEMAP
  • WEBMAIL
    • Login
    View Item 
    •   CACHE Homepage
    • Academic Departments, Programs, and SIPs
    • Psychology
    • Psychology Senior Integrated Projects
    • View Item
    •   CACHE Homepage
    • Academic Departments, Programs, and SIPs
    • Psychology
    • Psychology Senior Integrated Projects
    • View Item

    Gestures on Cognitive Resources : Gesturing to Describe Visuospatial Stimuli and Test Memory

    Thumbnail
    View/Open
    Searchable PDF/Kalamazoo College Only (1.721Mb)
    Date
    2016
    Author
    Dairaghi, Anna
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Abstract
    Gesture production reduces the cognitive load and increases working memory capabilities on secondary tasks when specifically compared to restricting gesture production. The aim of this study was to test whether gesture production is reducing the cognitive load or if restricting gesture production adds to the cognitive load by adding a control task whether participants neither gestured nor restricted gesture. Participants were exposed to story events in the form of sentences or a corresponding video and asked to recall them either while gesturing, not gesturing, or by typing their description. Typing was used as a control to analyze whether gesturing has a positive effect on working memory comparable to typing and restricting gesture. It was hypothesized that gesture production when describing a visual stimulus, in this case a cartoon video, would result in the highest performance on a secondary visuospatial working memory task. However, participants did not perform significantly better on either of the memory tasks when instructed to gesture, to not gesture, or to type within the spatial or the verbal condition. There was no significant difference in performance between any conditions. The results of the study do not support the findings of previous research on the effects of gesture on the working memory. Gestures may not be an effective resource for decreasing the cognitive load and increasing performance on a secondary memory task. It is suggested that there may be individual differences in working memory capabilities as well as the spatial and verbal skill aptitude. It is possible that a higher level of working memory capabilities of an individual and the limited complexity of the secondary memory task mitigated the contribution of the production of gesture during recall.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10920/37165
    Collections
    • Psychology Senior Integrated Projects [741]

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Thumbnail

      Mathematical Manipulatives and Gesture as Simulated Action: Observing Learning Through Gesture 

      Cullen, Nora K. (2012)
      Gesturing has been shown to be beneficial to the gesturer themselves, especially when it comes to learning. Specifically, one framework outlines the importance of gesture in learning, the Gesture as Simulated Action ...
    • Thumbnail

      Mathematical Manipulatives and Gesture as Simulated Action: Observing Learning Through Gesture 

      Cullen, Nora K. (Kalamazoo, Mich. : Kalamazoo College, 2013)
      The importance of gesture to the gesturer themselves has been demonstrated in increasing lexical retrieval, spatial recall, and accuracy on visuospatial problem-solving (Chu & Kita, 2011; Stevanoni & Salmon, 2005; ...
    • Thumbnail

      Children's Comprehension of Gesture as Representing Verbs 

      Jankowski, Jessica M. (2014)
      Recent research shows that gesture is a powerful teaching tool. More particularly, studies suggest that gesture helps children generalize mathematical equations. Verb learning is an area in which children have trouble ...

    Browse

    All of DSpaceCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    Login

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2022  DuraSpace
    DSpace Express is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV
    Logo

    Kalamazoo College
    1200 Academy Street
    Kalamazoo Michigan 49006-3295
    USA
    Info 269-337-7000
    Admission 1-800-253-3602

    About K
    Academics
    Admission
    Alumni Relations
    Giving to K
    News & Events
    Student Life
    Sitemap
    Map & Directions
    Contacts
    Directories
    Nondiscrimination Policy
    Consumer Information
    Official disclaimer
    Search this site


    Academic Calendars
    Apply
    Bookstore
    Crisis Response
    Employment
    Library
    Registrar
    DSpace Express is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV