Observation is known to improve memory for action. Previous findings linked such an effect with an easier relation processing of action components following observation compared to mere sentence reading. However, action observation also elicits implicit motor simulation, that is a processing of one’s movement through the observer own motor system. We aimed to assess whether encoding of implicit motor simulation can also explain why observation is better than reading for action memory. To prevent influence of item relation processing, two studies about isolated action verbs learning were designed. In Experiment 1, action verbs were encoded with short videos of point-light human movements or with written definitions. Subsequent free recall indicated better memory for the verbs within the video clip condition. Experiment 2 compared two encoding conditions based on point-light human movement videos. Half of the verbs were learned with their normal corresponding movement (biological kinematic). For the other half of the verbs, the velocity of point-light movements was modified to create abnormal nonbiological kinematic actions. We observed better free recall for the verbs learned with biological kinematics. Taken together, those results suggest that action observation is beneficial because it allows the encoding of motor-related information (implicit motor simulation). Semantic resonance between linguistic and motor representations of action could also contribute to memory improvement. Contrary to previous studies, our results cannot be explained by an improvement of items relation processing. However, it suggests that the basic level of action verb memory is sensorimotor perception, such as implicit motor simulation.

众所周知，观察可以提高行动记忆力。与单纯的句子阅读相比，先前的研究结果将这种效果与观察后更容易处理动作成分的关系联系起来。然而，动作观察也会引发内隐运动模拟，即通过观察者自己的运动系统处理一个人的运动。我们的目的是评估内隐运动模拟的编码是否也可以解释为什么观察比阅读更适合动作记忆。为了防止项目关系处理的影响，设计了两项关于孤立动作动词学习的研究。在实验 1 中，动作动词使用点光源人类动作的短视频或书面定义进行编码。随后的自由回忆表明对视频剪辑条件下的动词有更好的记忆。实验 2 比较了基于点光源人体运动视频的两种编码条件。一半的动词是通过正常的相应运动（生物运动学）学习的。对于另一半动词，点光运动的速度被修改以产生异常的非生物运动学动作。我们观察到通过生物运动学学习的动词有更好的自由回忆。总而言之，这些结果表明动作观察是有益的，因为它允许对运动相关信息进行编码（隐式运动模拟）。动作的语言和运动表征之间的语义共鸣也有助于提高记忆力。与以前的研究相反，我们的结果不能用项目关系处理的改进来解释。然而，