ABSTRACT
Embodied cognition research identifies mechanisms by which our cognitive activity is connected to body experiences. This approach encompasses not only experimental manipulations but also the quantification of variables related to group and individual differences, i.e., participant-related variables. Moreover, stimuli-related characteristics, such as sensorimotor word ratings, can either be used for the selection of experimental materials or can be the main output of a study themselves. This quantitative information about individuals or stimuli can be collected through non-experimental methods, such as questionnaires and cognitive tests. This chapter gives an overview of questionnaires and cognitive tests often used in embodied cognition research. A questionnaire is a list of questions asking participants to provide information on certain aspects, such as their sociodemographic or medical status. A test is a series of tasks which participants perform for further evaluation by researchers, such as tests of mathematical ability, reading speed, or counting direction. Rating studies collect subjective evaluations of various parameters, typically for large sets of items. The present chapter is divided into two main sections: Participant-related variables and stimuli-related characteristics. We present examples from cognitive linguistics, psycholinguistics, psychophysics, as well as from research on numerical cognition, peripersonal space, and attitudes towards social robots.
