The power of words depends on context: action congruence differentially shapes activation by words and sounds

Linguistic labels have been shown to facilitate visual recognition and categorization. Labels have also been shown to be better facilitators than sounds. However, less is known about how nouns in contrast with verbs and non-verbal sounds differentially activate action-related conceptual information. In the present study, we investigated whether words and non-verbal sounds vary in their ability to facilitate visual processing depending on their congruence with an implied action. Participants were presented to an image verification task in which visual stimuli were preceded by either nouns, non-verbal sounds or verbs that were either congruent or incongruent with the action associated with the target stimulus. Reaction times were analyzed using linear mixed-effects models. Results revealed a robust interaction between cue type and action congruence. Non-verbal sounds and verbs produced significantly faster responses when the action was congruent compared to incongruent trials, whereas nouns were optimal only when action was incongruent. These findings suggest that action information plays a role in the representations activated by words and non-verbal sounds. In addition, the evidence shows that verbs appear to activate action-related information similar to that evoked by non-verbal sounds. More broadly, the results contribute to ongoing debates about the mechanisms by which language and non-linguistic cues shape perceptual processing, highlighting the role of action-related cues in predictive conceptual activation.