Embodied Action as a ‘Helping Hand’ in Social Interaction

Although embodiment has become an important concept in many areas of cognitive science during the past two decades, most research has focused on individual agents and their interactions with the environment. This paper focuses on the social dimension of embodiment, and offers a conceptual framework that addresses embodied actions in the social realm. The framework identifies some fundamental functions of embodiment in social interaction, which are also illustrated by a case study in an everyday social setting. Generally speaking, embodied actions provide a helping hand in social interaction, both in a literal and practical sense.