Abstract
Human spatial representations are shaped by affordances for action offered by the environment. A prototypical example is the organization of space into peripersonal (within reach) and extrapersonal (outside reach) regions, mirrored by proximal (this/here) and distal (that/there) linguistic expressions. The peri-/extrapersonal distinction has been widely investigated in individual contexts, but little is known about how spatial representations are modulated by interaction with other people. Is near/far coding of space dynamically adapted to the position of a partner when space, objects, and action goals are shared? Over two preregistered experiments based on a novel interactive paradigm, we show that, in individual and social contexts involving no direct collaboration, linguistic coding of locations as proximal or distal depends on their distance from the speaker’s hand. In contrast, in the context of collaborative interactions involving turn-taking and role reversal, proximal space is shifted towards the partner, and linguistic coding of near space (‘this’ / ‘here’) is remapped onto the partner’s action space.
Highlights
Human spatial representations are shaped by affordances for action offered by the environment
Using demonstrative reference as a proxy of near/far coding of space, we observed an overall prominence of spatial encoding strategies oriented to manual action in individual contexts or social contexts involving no collaboration
We investigated how functional organization of space into near and far locations is modulated by affordances for manual action and social interaction
Summary
Human spatial representations are shaped by affordances for action offered by the environment. The tendency to encode functional features of objects and locations finds expression in the organization of space into an immediate peripersonal and a distal extrapersonal region This distinction maps onto a contrast between objects within and outside manual reach, optimizing sensorimotor representations for manual action and defensive behavior[3,4]. In a range of situations, from passing the salt at the dinner table to building a new house, we find ourselves in situations where actions are performed together with other people and coordinated via language In these cases, space is often shared between interlocutors, and objects in this space lend themselves to collaborative joint attention[9] and action[10,11,12]. Given the action-oriented nature of spatial representations, peripersonal space is hypothesized to be biased towards hand-centered coordinates, a format which facilitates fast movement execution[13]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
