Conscious vision for action versus unconscious vision for action?

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Psychology
• Visual Perception

Background:

• The dissociation hypothesis posits two cortical visual streams: a dorsal (action, unconscious) and a ventral (perception, conscious).
• Blindsight studies suggest a tripartite model: unconscious action vision, conscious perception vision, and unconscious perception vision.
• The tripartite model excludes conscious vision for action, despite evidence of conscious perception influencing action.

Purpose of the Study:

• To argue for a tripartite division of visual processing streams.
• To assert that dorsal stream representations guiding action are not cognitively accessible.
• To contend that dorsal stream representations do not correlate with phenomenal consciousness.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on visual processing streams and blindsight.
• Analysis of evidence regarding the influence of visual illusions and perceived size on action.
• Theoretical argumentation based on cognitive access and phenomenal consciousness.

Main Results:

• Evidence suggests conscious perception significantly impacts action.
• Sophisticated visual behavior may involve collaboration between dorsal and ventral streams.
• The study supports the view that dorsal stream representations are inaccessible to consciousness.

Conclusions:

• The dissociation hypothesis is best understood as a tripartite division.
• Conscious vision for action is excluded from this tripartite model.
• Dorsal stream representations guiding action are argued to be unconscious and not phenomenally conscious.