<p>This afternoon I've been observing people at a local park and came up with some observations that lead me to this question:</p>

<p><strong>Can the person's gait (manner of walking) say something about the person's internal experience at that moment?</strong> I'm thinking of arousal and cognition.</p>

<p>For example:
Have you ever seen a <strong>businessman</strong> or an office worker walk? <strong>They walk with a purpose</strong>, quite energetically with the body slightly inclined forward. Is it feasible to say that when such walk is observed, the person is going somewhere, and may be tense?</p>

<p>A <strong>child</strong> may be running around with arms in the air, along an irregular path. Can it be said that such child is energetic and excited at that moment?</p>

<p>Two <strong>elderly</strong> people may walk very differently. One couple walks at a regular pace of 3-4mph, while another couple may push one foot in front of the other at 0.5 mph. Can this tell us anything about the differences in the mental activity that takes place within these people?</p>

<p>A person may be <strong>strolling slowly</strong> at &lt;1mph, observing the environment. Can it be said that such person is calm?</p>

<p>It appears to me that in the examples above, the person's mood/demeanor and  motion are connected. </p>

<p><strong>I'm interested if there's really any correlation between how a person appears outwardly and how the person feels?</strong> In other words, if one is tense and feels pressed for time, would one start to "walk with a purpose", as opposed to strolling casually?</p>

<p>Thank you for your input.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-12T03:35:41.547Z
Alex I really appreciate your enthusiasm for this site, but I think you should consider putting some more effort into prior research before asking a question here. A search on google scholar for "gait cognition" turns up this article, and several others: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/neu-202215.pdf
Jeff
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-12T04:22:33.803Z
Right, "Google it" still works, which I tend to forget at times ! :) Good article
Alex Stone
CC BY-SA 3.0
2012-11-12T04:25:33.893Z
Also, the second paragraph suggests several other useful articles: Barberger-Gateau et al., 1997; Chen et al., 1996; Lajoie, Teasdale, Bard, & Fleury, 1996; Li, Linderberger, Fruend, & Baltes, 2001; Linderberger, Marsiske, & Baltes, 2000; Sparrow, Bradshaw, Lamoureux, & Tirosh, 2002; Brauer, Woollacott, & ShumwayCook, 2001; Brown, Shumway-Cook, & Woollacott, 1999; Maylor, Allison, & Wing, 2001; Maylor & Wing, 1996; Redfern, Muller, Jennings, & Furman, 2002; Shumway-Cook, Woollacott, Kerns, & Baldwin, 1997; Teasdale, Bard, LaRue, & Fleury, 1993
Jeff
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-20T12:43:21.807Z
Your question addresses the basic reason that *Dance* is-what-it-is: movement that we can interpret.  Dance it elaborated walk (locomotion).  If you didn't ahve to "get somewhere", but were still going to *move*, what would that movement look like?
New Alexandria
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-20T17:30:28.580Z
@AlexStone - yeah of course....
Greg McNulty
<cognitive-psychology><motor>
Does the person's walking say anything about the person's cognition?
Alex Stone
# Does the person's walking say anything about the person's cognition?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2012-11-11)

This afternoon I've been observing people at a local park and came up with some observations that lead me to this question:

**Can the person's gait (manner of walking) say something about the person's internal experience at that moment?** I'm thinking of arousal and cognition.

For example:
Have you ever seen a **businessman** or an office worker walk? **They walk with a purpose**, quite energetically with the body slightly inclined forward. Is it feasible to say that when such walk is observed, the person is going somewhere, and may be tense?

A **child** may be running around with arms in the air, along an irregular path. Can it be said that such child is energetic and excited at that moment?

Two **elderly** people may walk very differently. One couple walks at a regular pace of 3-4mph, while another couple may push one foot in front of the other at 0.5 mph. Can this tell us anything about the differences in the mental activity that takes place within these people?

A person may be **strolling slowly** at <1mph, observing the environment. Can it be said that such person is calm?

It appears to me that in the examples above, the person's mood/demeanor and motion are connected.

**I'm interested if there's really any correlation between how a person appears outwardly and how the person feels?** In other words, if one is tense and feels pressed for time, would one start to "walk with a purpose", as opposed to strolling casually?

Thank you for your input.

**Tags:** cognitive-psychology, motor

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Alex I really appreciate your enthusiasm for this site, but I think you should consider putting some more effort into prior research before asking a question here. A search on google scholar for "gait cognition" turns up this article, and several others: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/neu-202215.pdf  
> **username_0**: Right, "Google it" still works, which I tend to forget at times ! :) Good article  
> **username_1**: Also, the second paragraph suggests several other useful articles: Barberger-Gateau et al., 1997; Chen et al., 1996; Lajoie, Teasdale, Bard, & Fleury, 1996; Li, Linderberger, Fruend, & Baltes, 2001; Linderberger, Marsiske, & Baltes, 2000; Sparrow, Bradshaw, Lamoureux, & Tirosh, 2002; Brauer, Woollacott, & ShumwayCook, 2001; Brown, Shumway-Cook, & Woollacott, 1999; Maylor, Allison, & Wing, 2001; Maylor & Wing, 1996; Redfern, Muller, Jennings, & Furman, 2002; Shumway-Cook, Woollacott, Kerns, & Baldwin, 1997; Teasdale, Bard, LaRue, & Fleury, 1993  
> **username_2**: Your question addresses the basic reason that *Dance* is-what-it-is: movement that we can interpret.  Dance it elaborated walk (locomotion).  If you didn't ahve to "get somewhere", but were still going to *move*, what would that movement look like?  
> **username_3**: @AlexStone - yeah of course....  

---

## 0 answers

