Perception & Action (Undergraduate)

We need to perceive in order to act, but we also need to act in order to perceive (Gibson, 1979).

Perceiving and acting are intrinsically connected to each other. One term does not exist without the other. This course concentrates on the mechanisms (direct, indirect) underlying the coordination between perception and action.

Theories of perception and action are reviewed (cognitive, ecological, dynamical, neurophysiological). Illustrations are extracted from many cultural areas, including sport, medicine, interface design, recreation, etc… as well as from non human behaviors (e.g., robotics, animal)

Outline:

• Perception for Action and Action for Perception
• History of perception-action research
• The informational basis of human and non human behaviors
• Coordinating perceiving and acting
• Theories of perception and action
  - Cognitive/Computational approach to perception and action
  - Neurophysiological approach to perception and action
  - Ecological approach to perception and action and follow-up theories (e.g., Enaction)
  -Dynamical approach to perception and action
• The development, learning, and rehabilitation of perception – action behaviors