Moving Forward: On the Limits of Motor-Based Forward Models

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Neuroscience
• Neuroscience
• Psychology

Background:

• Anticipating action consequences is crucial for cognitive, emotional, and social functioning.
• A dominant theory posits that this ability relies on motor predictions via forward models.
• This concept has been extended to predict outcomes beyond direct bodily movements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the generalization of motor-based forward models to predict environmental action-outcomes.
• To assess the evidence for motor-based predictions in processing effects beyond the body.

Main Methods:

• Critical review of existing literature on predictive processing and action-outcomes.
• Analysis of studies examining the role of forward models in human cognition.
• Evaluation of evidence for motor-based vs. non-motor-based prediction mechanisms.

Main Results:

• There is substantial evidence for the role of predictions in processing environmental action-outcomes.
• Current evidence does not strongly support the assumption that these environmental predictions originate from motor-based forward models.
• The generalization of motor-based forward models to non-bodily effects requires further empirical support.

Conclusions:

• While predictions are vital for understanding action consequences, their underlying mechanisms may differ for bodily versus environmental outcomes.
• The predictive processing framework may need refinement to account for diverse prediction sources.
• Future research should investigate non-motor-based predictive mechanisms for environmental interactions.