Action to Language via the Mirror Neuron System

doi:10.1017/CBO9780511541599

Mirror neurons may hold the brain's key to social interaction - each coding not only a particular action or emotion but also the recognition of that action or emotion in others. The Mirror System Hypothesis adds an evolutionary arrow to the story - from the mirror system for hand actions, shared with monkeys and chimpanzees, to the uniquely human mirror system for language. In this accessible volume, experts from child development, computer science, linguistics, neuroscience, primatology and robotics present and analyse the mirror system and show how studies of action and language can illuminate each other. Topics discussed in the fifteen chapters include: what do chimpanzees and humans have in common? Does the human capability for language rest on brain mechanisms shared with other animals? How do human infants acquire language? What can be learned from imaging the human brain? How are sign- and spoken-language related? Will robots learn to act and speak like humans?

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-iv
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Contents
pp v-vi
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List of contributors
pp vii-viii
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Preface
pp ix-xiv
- By Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California
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Part I - Two perspectives
pp 1-2
- By Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California
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1 - The Mirror System Hypothesis on the linkage of action and languages
pp 3-47
- By Michael A. Arbib, Computer Science Department, Neuroscience Program and USC Brain Project, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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2 - The origin and evolution of language: a plausible, strong-AI account
pp 48-88
- By Jerry R. Hobbs, USC Information Sciences Institute, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA 90292, USA
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Part II - Brain, evolution, and comparative analysis
pp 89-90
- By Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California
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3 - Cognition, imitation, and culture in the great apes
pp 91-109
- By Craig B. Stanford, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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4 - The signer as an embodied mirror neuron system: neural mechanisms underlying sign language and action
pp 110-135
- By Karen Emmorey, University San Diego
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5 - Neural homologies and the grounding of neurolinguistics
pp 136-174
- By Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Mihail Bota, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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Part III - Dynamic systems in action and language
pp 175-176
- By Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California
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6 - Dynamic systems: brain, body, and imitation
pp 177-214
- By Stefan Schaal, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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7 - The role of vocal tract gestural action units in understanding the evolution of phonology
pp 215-249
- By Louis Goldstein, Yale University, New Haven, Dani Byrd, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Elliot Saltzman, Boston University, Boston
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8 - Lending a helping hand to hearing: another motor theory of speech perception
pp 250-286
- By Jeremy I. Skipper, Department of Neurology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA, Howard C. Nusbaum, Department of Psychology and the Brain Research Imaging Center, The University of Chicago, Chicago IL 60637, USA, Steven L. Small, Departments of Psychology and Neurology and the Brain Research Imaging Center, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Part IV - From mirror system to syntax and Theory of Mind
pp 287-288
- By Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California
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9 - Attention and the minimal subscene
pp 289-346
- By Laurent Itti, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California, Los Angeles
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10 - Action verbs, argument structure constructions, and the mirror neuron system
pp 347-373
- By David Kemmerer, Department of Speech, Language, and Hearing Sciences Purdue University, West Lafayette IN 47907, USA
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11 - Language evidence for changes in a Theory of Mind
pp 374-394
- By Andrew S. Gordon, Institute for Creative Technologies, University of Southern California, Marina del Rey, CA 90292, USA
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Part V - Development of action and language
pp 395-396
- By Michael A. Arbib, University of Southern California
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12 - The development of grasping and the mirror system
pp 397-423
- By Erhan Oztop, JST-ICORP Computational Brain Project, ATR Computational Neuroscience Laboratories, Kyoto 619-0288, Japan, Michael A. Arbib, Computer Science Department, Neuroscience Program and USC Brain Project, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA, Nina Bradley, Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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13 - Development of goal-directed imitation, object manipulation, and language in humans and robots
pp 424-468
- By Ioana D. Goga, Autonomous Systems Laboratory, Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne (EPFL), Aude Billard, Autonomous Systems Laboratory, Swiss Institute of Technology, Lausanne (EPFL)
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14 - Assisted imitation: affordances, effectivities, and the mirror system in early language development
pp 469-500
- By Patricia Zukow-Goldring, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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15 - Implications of mirror neurons for the ontogeny and phylogeny of cultural processes: the examples of tools and language
pp 501-533
- By Patricia Greenfield, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
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Index
pp 534-552
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Action to Language via the Mirror Neuron System

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Contents

Frontmatter
pp i-iv

Contents
pp v-vi

List of contributors
pp vii-viii

Preface
pp ix-xiv

Part I - Two perspectives
pp 1-2

1 - The Mirror System Hypothesis on the linkage of action and languages
pp 3-47

2 - The origin and evolution of language: a plausible, strong-AI account
pp 48-88

Part II - Brain, evolution, and comparative analysis
pp 89-90

3 - Cognition, imitation, and culture in the great apes
pp 91-109

4 - The signer as an embodied mirror neuron system: neural mechanisms underlying sign language and action
pp 110-135

5 - Neural homologies and the grounding of neurolinguistics
pp 136-174

Part III - Dynamic systems in action and language
pp 175-176

6 - Dynamic systems: brain, body, and imitation
pp 177-214

7 - The role of vocal tract gestural action units in understanding the evolution of phonology
pp 215-249

8 - Lending a helping hand to hearing: another motor theory of speech perception
pp 250-286

Part IV - From mirror system to syntax and Theory of Mind
pp 287-288

9 - Attention and the minimal subscene
pp 289-346

10 - Action verbs, argument structure constructions, and the mirror neuron system
pp 347-373

11 - Language evidence for changes in a Theory of Mind
pp 374-394

Part V - Development of action and language
pp 395-396

12 - The development of grasping and the mirror system
pp 397-423

13 - Development of goal-directed imitation, object manipulation, and language in humans and robots
pp 424-468

14 - Assisted imitation: affordances, effectivities, and the mirror system in early language development
pp 469-500

15 - Implications of mirror neurons for the ontogeny and phylogeny of cultural processes: the examples of tools and language
pp 501-533

Index
pp 534-552

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Action to Language via the Mirror Neuron System

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