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From Action to Cognition: How the Body Shapes the Mind

Dr. Claudia Gonzalez explores how everyday behaviours, from grasping a cup to reaching for something in the dark, reveal the deep links between action and cognition.

Light appetizers. Cash bar.
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About the talk

We often picture the brain as a powerful computer built for thinking, reasoning and solving problems. But the brain did not evolve for abstract thought; it evolved for action. Long before language, logic or executive function, our ancestors had to reach, grasp and navigate through a complex world. The same brain systems that control our hands and movements also shape how we perceive, learn and solve problems.

In this talk, Dr. Claudia Gonzalez explores how everyday behaviours, from grasping a cup to reaching for something in the dark, reveal the deep links between action and cognition. Drawing on research from her Brain in Action Laboratory, she shows that patterns of hand use, and their variations across age and sex, shed light on how each hemisphere of the brain supports different cognitive abilities. Ultimately, Dr. Gonzalez maintains that cognition is, at its core, embodied: rooted in the simple act of interacting with the world.

Dr. Claudia Gonzalez (MSc '00, PhD '04) grew up in Mexico City, and her curiosity about why people behave the way they do led her to study psychology at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM). As her questions deepened, she realized that to truly understand behaviour, she needed to understand the brain. That search brought her to Canada, where she completed her master’s and PhD in neuroscience at the University of Lethbridge and later trained in cognitive neuroscience at Western University.

Today, Dr. Gonzalez is a Professor and Board of Governors Research Chair and a former Canada Research Chair at ULethbridge. In her Brain in Action Laboratory, she combines psychology, neuroscience and kinesiology to study how the brain links perception and action, and how basic behaviours like reaching and grasping shape cognitive functions such as language, spatial ability and executive function.

Dr. Gonzalez also works to bring science into the community through Building Brains Together, a partnership that develops evidence-based play activities to support brain development and cognitive skills in children, youth and older adults. These programs help strengthen attention, memory and problem solving, while fostering emotional and social growth. For Dr. Gonzalez, science and community are deeply connected: discoveries from the lab inform practice, and real-world experiences spark new questions for research.

Thank you to our sponsors!

This talk is generously supported by the University of Lethbridge Alumni Association and an anonymous donor.The 2025-26 PUBlic Professor Series is made possible thanks to: 

University of Lethbridge Senate,
Knud Petersen,
Dr. Dennis Connolly (LLD ’17),
Dave and Kathy Greenwood,
Dr. Michelle Helstein,
Dr. Digvir and Manju Jayas,
Deborah Lucas, and 
Dr. Dena McMartin

About the series

In June 2014, the Faculty of Arts & Science launched something special: the PUBlic Professor Series. In 2023, we expanded the series to include talks by researchers from across the University. This monthly lecture series is designed to spark thought-provoking discussions and bring a diverse group of experts and researchers from our campus right into the community.

While the series' scope has grown, its core mission remains unchanged. These talks will continue to offer valuable insights into topics that pique interest, inspire questions, and foster open and engaging conversations. The PUBlic Professor Series provides an excellent opportunity for the community to come together, connect with one another, and dive into meaningful discussions.

This series is a natural extension of the popular Public Professor column, co-edited by Dan Johnson and James Linville, which you may have enjoyed reading in the Lethbridge Herald. Over the span of three years, they published a total of 146 regular Saturday columns, each penned by our talented faculty, sharing intriguing aspects of their research with you.

Together, let’s explore the fascinating world of knowledge, one conversation at a time.

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