Body posture may affect memory, learning in kids

WASHINGTON: Body posture is critical in the early stages of acquiring new knowledge, affecting memory and learning, a new study suggests.

The study offers a new approach to studying the way " objects of cognition," such as words or memories of physical objects, are tied to the position of the body.

"This study shows that the body plays a role in early object name learning, and how toddlers use the body's position in space to connect ideas," Linda Smith, professor in Indiana University Bloomington College of Arts and Sciences' Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, said.

Using both robots and infants, researchers examined the role bodily position played in the brain's ability to "map" names to objects.

They found that consistency of the body's posture and spatial relationship to an object as an object's name was shown and spoken aloud were critical to successfully connecting the name to the object.