The ability to plan, inhibit, and execute motor movements are
all necessary for achieving goal-directed behavior. These
processes are closely related to memory, as perceptual input
and memory of that input often recruit motor movements.
Unknown, however, is how the engagement of perception-
action processes impact the memory of objects. One such
interaction suggests that participants have worse memory recall
for stimuli which elicit inhibition of a motor response than
stimuli which afford the execution of a motor response (Chiu
& Egner, 2015). This effect has been explained through
competition for common neural resources: allocation of
resources toward response inhibition reduces the amount of
resources available for memory. Alternatively, this effect could
be driven at the level of perception-action coupling: engaging
and pairing the motor system with visual perception enhances
the memory of stimuli which elicited the motor preparation or
response. To test these hypotheses, we first replicated Chiu and
Egner (2015). In Experiment 2, we included neutral stimuli that
did not necessitate motor preparation processes. Memory was
enhanced for stimuli presented in conjunction with motor
engagement, providing evidence for an account of memory that
is facilitated when coupled with the motor system.