From Psychologies · Andréa Lepage · · 50s
Hand Gestures Help Your Brain Find Words
Hand movements boost word recall when stuck on a term
In brief
Hand movements boost word recall when stuck on a term Gestures reduce cognitive load during word retrieval blocks Originally reported by Psychologies.
Hand Gestures Aid Word Finding
Hand movements help brains retrieve stuck words by reducing cognitive load during language blocks
“Hand movements help brains retrieve stuck words by reducing cognitive load during language blocks”
Science Shows Hand Action Helps
A 2021 study found hand gestures improve word recall when stuck, especially for people with weaker working memory
“Hand gestures improve word recall when stuck, especially for people with weaker working memory”
Why Hand Movements Help
Gestures act as cognitive tools that reduce mental effort when struggling to find words
“Gestures act as cognitive tools that reduce mental effort when struggling to find words”
Personalized Effect
The benefit depends on individual working memory capacity, helping those who struggle more with word retrieval
“The benefit depends on individual working memory capacity, helping those who struggle more with word retrieval”
Historical Evidence
Research since the 1990s shows hand movements improve word recall, especially for spatial or motor words
“Research since the 1990s shows hand movements improve word recall, especially for spatial or motor words”
The headline
Gestures reduce cognitive load during word retrieval blocks
