Perception and action

The phrase perception and action is used widely but in diverse ways in the context of the relationship between perceptual and motor processes. This review describes and integrates five perspectives on perception and action which rely on both neurophysiological and behavioral levels of analysis. The two visual systems view proposes dissociable but interactive systems for conscious processing of objects/space and the visual control of action. The integrative view proposes tightly calibrated but flexible systems for perception and motor control in spatial representation. The embodied view posits that action underlies perception, involving common coding or motor simulation systems, and examines the relationship between action observation, imitation, and the understanding of intention. The ecological view emphasizes environmental information and affordances in perception. The functional view defines the relationship between perception, action planning, and semantics in goal-directed actions. Although some of these views/approaches differ in significant ways, their shared emphasis on the importance of action in perception serves as a useful unifying framework. WIREs Cogn Sci 2010 1 800-810 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.