Motor Activation During the Prediction of Nonexecutable Actions in Infants

• DOI: 10.1177/0956797612459766
• Publication Date: 2013-05-16T04:40:16Z
• Authors: Victoria Southgate; Katarina Begus
• Keywords: Motor System; Motor Imagery; Motor Behavior; Motor Control

Although it is undeniable that the motor system recruited when people observe others’ actions, inferences brain generates from activation and mechanisms involved in system’s recruitment are still unknown. Here, we challenged popular hypothesis involvement action observation enables observer to identify predict an agent’s goal by matching observed actions with existing corresponding representations. Using a novel neural indication of prediction—sensorimotor-cortex measured electroencephalography—we demonstrated 9-month-old infants recruit their whenever context suggests impending action, but this not dependent on being able match representation. Our data thus inconsistent view prediction depends correspondence; instead, they support alternative which result of, rather than cause identification.