Perception of maximum reaching height reflects impending changes in reaching ability and improvements transfer to...

Perception of whether a given behavior is possible typically reflects a person's action capabilities even before the behavior is performed and even when the person has undergone recent changes to their action capabilities. Importantly, perception of affordances for a given behavior also reflects impending changes to action capabilities. Two experiments investigated perception of affordances for reaching when the means of reaching would bring about changes in reaching ability. Experiment 1 found that perception of maximum reaching height is relative to impending changes brought on by a change in posture and use of a hand-held tool. Experiment 2 found that practice performing a reaching task in which reaching ability is unchanged is sufficient to bring about improvements in perception of maximum reaching height when the means of reaching would change reaching ability. The results are discussed in the context of the prospectivity of perception of affordances, and the experiences that may be necessary to bring about (transfer of) improvements in perception of affordances.