About this Research Topic
Embodied mimesis has been proposed as the ‘missing link’ between the primitive forms of dyadic communication and the emergence of a more complex form of social engagement and linguistic interplay in humans. At the same time, according to the more recent neuroscience research updates, it seems to also have a crucial role in action-perception relationship within a mutual pre-reflective understanding. Finally within the enactive and situated approach it appears to have a peculiar role in intersubjective knowledge acquisition and in social attunement.
This Research Topic aims in collecting theoretical positions and research works that take into account different perspectives under which embodied mimesis and intersubjective sense making practices can be grounded on. The creation of this bridge poses its basis on a dialogue between a wide range of disciplines and research methodologies including psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, philosophy and linguistic, but also on contributions based on performing arts and somatic disciplines.
Suggested topics could be (but are not limited to):
• The mimetic aspects of bodily communication (such as sound-symbolism and language acquisition, imitation, gesture and action intention recognition and action understanding, iconicity and embodied negotiation of communicative patterns).
• The interaction between mimetic activities and sense-making practices (such as enactive approach to cognition and intentionality including in particular perception, memory, and attention) in dyadic or group contexts.
• The pre-reflective substratum of embodied mimesis such as cross-modal mapping, synaesthesia, neural basis of hand-mouth connection, and shared sensorimotor schemas.
• The situated interplay between tacit and explicit or analogic and symbolic aspects of expression and communication in embodied mimesis or in production/ completion of iconic gestures.
• The perception-action relation in knowledge acquisition through mimetic practices (such as body-environment couplings in exploring natural and imaginative worlds, cognitive-motor interaction in supporting brain plasticity in rehabilitation).
• The role of embodied mimesis in social space construction/enaction (such as intersubjectivity and meaning negotiation, self-other distinction, and intentional/emotional attunement).
Other topics not mentioned will be considered for this Research Topic as long as they focus on embodied mimesis. Manuscripts that widely address embodiment or embodied cognition will be regarded as off-topic.
This Research Topic aims in collecting theoretical positions and research works that take into account different perspectives under which embodied mimesis and intersubjective sense making practices can be grounded on. The creation of this bridge poses its basis on a dialogue between a wide range of disciplines and research methodologies including psychology, neuroscience, cognitive science, philosophy and linguistic, but also on contributions based on performing arts and somatic disciplines.
Suggested topics could be (but are not limited to):
• The mimetic aspects of bodily communication (such as sound-symbolism and language acquisition, imitation, gesture and action intention recognition and action understanding, iconicity and embodied negotiation of communicative patterns).
• The interaction between mimetic activities and sense-making practices (such as enactive approach to cognition and intentionality including in particular perception, memory, and attention) in dyadic or group contexts.
• The pre-reflective substratum of embodied mimesis such as cross-modal mapping, synaesthesia, neural basis of hand-mouth connection, and shared sensorimotor schemas.
• The situated interplay between tacit and explicit or analogic and symbolic aspects of expression and communication in embodied mimesis or in production/ completion of iconic gestures.
• The perception-action relation in knowledge acquisition through mimetic practices (such as body-environment couplings in exploring natural and imaginative worlds, cognitive-motor interaction in supporting brain plasticity in rehabilitation).
• The role of embodied mimesis in social space construction/enaction (such as intersubjectivity and meaning negotiation, self-other distinction, and intentional/emotional attunement).
Other topics not mentioned will be considered for this Research Topic as long as they focus on embodied mimesis. Manuscripts that widely address embodiment or embodied cognition will be regarded as off-topic.
Keywords: Embodied Mimesis, Intersubjectivity Sense-making Practices, Social Attunement, Mirroring, Sound Symbolism
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
