Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology
Technology pervades every aspect of our lives, making it crucial to investigate how the human mind deals with it. Here we examine the cognitive and neural foundations of technological cognition. In the first fMRI experiment, participants viewed videos depicting the use of mechanical tools (e.g., a s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-01-01
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| Series: | NeuroImage |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811924004683 |
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| author | Giovanni Federico Mathieu Lesourd Arnaud Fournel Alexandre Bluet Chloé Bryche Maximilien Metaireau Dario Baldi Maria Antonella Brandimonte Andrea Soricelli Yves Rossetti François Osiurak |
| author_facet | Giovanni Federico Mathieu Lesourd Arnaud Fournel Alexandre Bluet Chloé Bryche Maximilien Metaireau Dario Baldi Maria Antonella Brandimonte Andrea Soricelli Yves Rossetti François Osiurak |
| author_sort | Giovanni Federico |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Technology pervades every aspect of our lives, making it crucial to investigate how the human mind deals with it. Here we examine the cognitive and neural foundations of technological cognition. In the first fMRI experiment, participants viewed videos depicting the use of mechanical tools (e.g., a screwdriver) and digital tools (e.g., a smartphone) compared to simple object movements. Results revealed a key dissociation: mechanical tools extensively activated the dorsal and ventro-dorsal visual streams, which are motor- and action-oriented brain systems. Conversely, digital tools largely engaged the ventral visual stream, associated with conceptual and social cognition. A second behavioral experiment showed a pronounced tendency to anthropomorphize digital tools. A third experiment involving a priming task confirmed that digital tools activate the social brain. The discovery of two different neurocognitive systems for mechanical versus digital technology offers new insights into human-technology interaction and its implications for the evolution of the human mind. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-5259097c466243249f6364a557f658b5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1095-9572 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | NeuroImage |
| spelling | doaj-art-5259097c466243249f6364a557f658b52025-01-11T06:38:32ZengElsevierNeuroImage1095-95722025-01-01305120971Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technologyGiovanni Federico0Mathieu Lesourd1Arnaud Fournel2Alexandre Bluet3Chloé Bryche4Maximilien Metaireau5Dario Baldi6Maria Antonella Brandimonte7Andrea Soricelli8Yves Rossetti9François Osiurak10Laboratory of Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Naples, Italy; Corresponding author.Laboratoire de Recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive (UMR INSERM 1322), Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France; MSHE Ledoux, CNRS, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, FranceLaboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, FranceLaboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, France; Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, SwedenLaboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, FranceLaboratoire de Recherches Intégratives en Neurosciences et Psychologie Cognitive (UMR INSERM 1322), Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France; Laboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, FranceIRCCS SYNLAB SDN, Naples, ItalyLaboratory of Experimental Psychology and Cognitive Neuroscience, Suor Orsola Benincasa University, Naples, ItalyIRCCS SYNLAB SDN, Naples, ItalyMouvement, Handicap, et Neuro-Immersion, Hospices Civils de Lyon et Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Hôpital Henry Gabrielle, St Genis Laval, France; Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon, Trajectoires Team, CNRS U5292, Inserm U1028, Université de Lyon, FranceLaboratoire d’Étude des Mécanismes Cognitifs (EA 3082), Université de Lyon, France; Institut Universitaire de France, Paris, FranceTechnology pervades every aspect of our lives, making it crucial to investigate how the human mind deals with it. Here we examine the cognitive and neural foundations of technological cognition. In the first fMRI experiment, participants viewed videos depicting the use of mechanical tools (e.g., a screwdriver) and digital tools (e.g., a smartphone) compared to simple object movements. Results revealed a key dissociation: mechanical tools extensively activated the dorsal and ventro-dorsal visual streams, which are motor- and action-oriented brain systems. Conversely, digital tools largely engaged the ventral visual stream, associated with conceptual and social cognition. A second behavioral experiment showed a pronounced tendency to anthropomorphize digital tools. A third experiment involving a priming task confirmed that digital tools activate the social brain. The discovery of two different neurocognitive systems for mechanical versus digital technology offers new insights into human-technology interaction and its implications for the evolution of the human mind.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811924004683ActionCognitionDigitalSocialTechnologyTool use |
| spellingShingle | Giovanni Federico Mathieu Lesourd Arnaud Fournel Alexandre Bluet Chloé Bryche Maximilien Metaireau Dario Baldi Maria Antonella Brandimonte Andrea Soricelli Yves Rossetti François Osiurak Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology NeuroImage Action Cognition Digital Social Technology Tool use |
| title | Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology |
| title_full | Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology |
| title_fullStr | Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology |
| title_short | Two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology |
| title_sort | two distinct neural pathways for mechanical versus digital technology |
| topic | Action Cognition Digital Social Technology Tool use |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811924004683 |
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