Visual awareness and the on-line modification of action

An influential theory of visually guided action proposes that (a) conscious perception of target displacement disrupts on-line action and (b) small target perturbations are inconsequential, provided the participant is unaware of them. This study examined these claims in a study of rapid aiming movements to targets. Novel features included on-line verbal reports of target displacement, and the factorial combination of small versus large displacements occurring near peak saccadic velocity or 100 ms later. Although awareness of target displacement had no effect on movement kinematics, even small target displacements near peak saccadic velocity affected kinematic measures. These results support both a strong view of visual stream separation in the on-line control of action and richer spatial coding by unconscious processes than has previously been acknowledged.