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MANIPULATION AFFORDANCES
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Lecture notes of 8 pages for the course NEUROPSYCHOLOGY at UNN (LECUTRE 11/15)
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Lecture 11 – manipulation affordancesPerception and Action: Ecological Psychology
- Perceptual knowledge is not acquired in vacuum, you need to
directly experience these references rather than just explaining
something.
- Main question is whether perception and action are separate
encapsulated systems or whether they are encoded simultaneously
within the same representation.
Ecological theories assume that:
- Cognitive system evolved from interacting with the world (hence, ecological)
- Perception affects action and vice versa.
- Perceptual representations of objects directly encode action potentials.
- “Representing an object/concept (including abstract ones) should include
representing its sensorimotor properties and its use. Simulation is “…re-enactment
of perceptual, motor, and introspective states acquired during experience…”
(Barsalou 2008). So, an interactive view due to simulation.
Common coding theory Prinz (1997);
- CCT focuses on event perception (not object perception)
- Perceptual representations and motor representations share a common
code.
- Seeing an event activates the action associated with that event.
- Performing an action activates the associated perceptual event.
Predictions:
- Representations for observed and executed actions should rely on a shared neural
substrate.
- A common cognitive system predicts facilitation of action based on perception and
vice versa.
- Interference effects when action and perception attempt to access shared
representations simultaneously.
- Sensorimotor vs Ideomotor approaches (Prinz 2005). Sensorimotor = everything
starts with perception. Ideomotor = everything starts with intention to act.
Ecological psychology, Gibson (1979);
- The organism stands in an 'ecological' relation to the environment.
Direct perception:
- Perception gathers information from input automatically, i.e., directly.
- Perception is meaningful: The organism cognizes the world as being relevant or not
to its actions. Direct perception of the environment affords potential actions.
Ecological theories assume that perception and action are
tightly integrated with no necessity for transcoding from
one system into the other.
, Manipulation Affordances, what are they?
Affordances:
- E.g. a rock can be used to throw/use a tool/hurt a toe to a human. To a cat, the same
rock can’t be very useful to it, maybe climb on it/ move it. Same object but
completely different affordances.
James Gibson’s Affordances, Gibson (1979);
- “The affordances of the environment are what it offers the animal, what it provides
or furnishes, either for good or ill. I mean by it something that refers to both the
environment and the animal in a way that no existing term does... It implies the
complementarity of the animal and the environment… An affordance is neither an
objective property nor a subjective property; or it is both if you like. An affordance
cuts across the dichotomy of subjective-objective and helps us to understand its
inadequacy. An affordance points both ways, to the environment and to observer.”
(Gibson,1979:127)
Main features of Gibson’s affordances:
- Affordances exist relative to the action capabilities of a particular organism, but...
- They are independent of the organism’s ability to perceive it.
- They do not change as the needs and goals of the organism change.
Donald Norman’s Affordances, Norman (1989);
- Cognitive scientist at UC San Diego who studied under Gibson.
- Replaced Gibson's objective affordances with the notion of subjective (perceived)
affordances. Norman’s affordances are widely used in user-oriented, ecological, and
ergonomic designs
- "...the term affordance refers to the perceived and actual properties of the thing,
primarily those fundamental properties that determine just how the thing could
possibly be used… Affordances provide strong clues to the operations of things.
Plates are for pushing. Knobs are for turning. Slots are for inserting things into. Balls
are for throwing or bouncing. When affordances are taken advantage of, the user
knows what to do just by looking: no picture, label, or instruction needed." (Norman
1988, p.9)
Main features of Norman’s Affordances:
- Properties perceived by an agent rather than actual object properties.
- Dependent on the experience, knowledge, or culture of the actor.
- Can make an action difficult or easy.
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