Yann Coello

Papers

Total Citations

314

H-Index

About

Yann Coello is a leading cognitive neuroscientist whose research lies at the intersection of embodied cognition, social neuroscience, and motor control. He is best known for his groundbreaking work on the mechanisms underlying peripersonal space—the immediate area around the body used for action—and its relationship with interpersonal or social space. In a highly influential 2014 study (215 citations), Coello used immersive virtual reality to demonstrate that the distance at which we reach for objects and the distance at which we feel comfortable interacting with others are governed by shared neural mechanisms, and that these spaces are dynamically modulated by the social valence of stimuli. This work has been foundational for understanding how the brain integrates action and social perception. Coello has also made significant contributions to the field of embodied cognition, editing the 2016 volume *Conceptual and Interactive Embodiment*, which explores how sensorimotor processes shape language and thought. Additionally, his 2013 study on social intention and movement kinematics (49 citations) revealed that cooperative goals systematically alter the kinematics of reaching actions, challenging purely internal models of motor control. Coello’s research elegantly bridges low-level motor processes with high-level social cognition, offering profound insights into how our bodies shape our social minds.