Motion and Action in Animate and Inanimate Objects

We investigated the activation of action information elicited by inanimate and animate entities. We hypothesized a stronger activation of action information with inanimate objects, and a stronger activation of motion information with animate entities. Target words (animate and inanimate object concepts) were preceded by 4 primes: a moving downward arm with hand in grasping position ('action and motion'), or with hand closed as fist ('motion only'), a static arm with hand in grasping position ('action only'), and a catch trial. Participants decided whether the target could move by itself or not. Results showed slower RTs for inanimate objects in the 'action and motion' condition relative to the inanimate in 'motion only' condition and both inanimate and animate entities in 'action only' conditions. An interference between the action afforded by inanimate entities and that displayed in the prime was found, while no such an effect was registered for animate entities.