UPPER-LIMB MOVEMENT DIFFERENTIATION ACCORDING TO TAXONOMIC SEMANTIC CATEGORY

THE size or shape of an object, its perceptual features, determine the patterning of an arm and hand action involving that object. Little is known about the role played by the taxonomic semantic attributes of a n object for perceptuomotor processing. In this study we investigated whether the semantic relationship between two target stimuli influence s the kinematics of a bilateral reach-to-grasp action. The results sho wed that reach-to-grasp movements preceding the action of putting livi ng-thing pairs together were faster, and showed earlier settings of re ach and grasp temporal parameters, than movements involving pairs of n on-living things. It is hypothesized that this reflects the recruitmen t of different categorical perceptuomotor pathways.