Perception and action: recent theoretical and experimental directions

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how ecological and dynamical systems concepts are used to explain psychophysical issues of action and perception during experiments in motor behavior under task and environment constraints. These experiments allow us to demonstrate quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the action-perception phenomenon. Therefore, I included the results of several studies conducted in my lab, the Laboratory of Action and Perception at UNESP in Rio Claro. These studies concern spatial perception in older people, in individuals with mental retardation and blindness, and the relationship between perception of exertion and daily living activities, and athletic performances. Lastly, I discussed the cooperation between haptic and postural control systems in order to establish a new experimental paradigm, the anchor paradigm. Our results are diagnostic, descriptive or comparative, and exploit the mutual relationship among environment, organism, and psychophysical task goals.