The creative interplay between hand gestures, convergent thinking, and mental imagery.

ABSTRACT: Using hand gestures benefits children's divergent thinking and enhances verbal improvisation in adults. In the present study, we asked whether gestures were also associated with convergent thinking by activating individuals' verbal lexicon and maintaining their visuospatial imagery. We tested young adults on verbal and visual convergent thinking, controlling for their mental imagery skills. Results showed that gestures and mental imagery skills play a role in verbal but not visual convergent thinking. Regardless of whether gestures were spontaneous or encouraged, we found a negative association between overall gesture frequency and verbal convergent thinking or individuals with low mental imagery, and a positive association for individuals with high mental imagery. Representational gesture

SUBMITTER: Hyusein G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10079032 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature