How to think with our hands

Scientific litsketch on boosting motivation

Can we use our hands to think more effectively to perform better in a given task? Research shows that using gestures while explaining how to do a task can increase our performance in a similar task (Beilock and Goldin-Meadow, 2010). When we use gestures while explaining a task, we create more detailed information about the actions that may be required to solve the problem in our mind. This information about actions further helps us better solve the problem.

In an experiment, people were divided into two groups. Both groups were asked to do a task of moving disks placed in a peg to one of the other two pegs. The disks were arranged in the order of size with the largest disk on the bottom and the smallest on the top and the rule is to move one disk at a time but never place a larger disk on top of a smaller disk. After completing the task, they were asked to use hand gestures to explain how they solved the task. Next both groups were asked to do the same task again. Here, Group One was given a different set of disks where the smallest disk was the heaviest disk that required two hands to move it while the largest disk was the lightest disk. Group Two was given the same disks as before.

The results showed that Group One that was given a different set of disks solved the task faster when they used more two-hand gestures when explaining the task than those who used more one-hand gestures. In other words, our hand gestures improve our performance in a task when the gestures are compatible with the task.

Use your hand gestures when you explain or present your ideas or when you are simulating something in your mind to practise a task, actively use hand gestures. This will help improve your performance in the same task.

Beilock, Sian L., and Susan Goldin-Meadow. "Gesture changes thought by grounding it in action." Psychological science 21, no. 11 (2010): 1605-1610.