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Distinguishing regulatory variables and ecological affordances: Prioritizing goals versus implementing action
Edgar Dubourg1, Nicolas Baumard1
1Institut Jean Nicod, Département d'études cognitives, Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, EHESS, CNRS, Paris, France edgar.dubourg@gmail.com nbaumard@gmail.com https://www.edgardubourg.fr https://nicolasbaumard.org.
The Behavioral and Brain Sciences
|June 2, 2026
Summary
This study clarifies a framework by distinguishing regulatory variables, which guide motivation, from affordances, which enable actions. This distinction enhances understanding of motivational salience and action possibilities.
Area of Science:
- Decision-making and cognitive neuroscience.
- Behavioral economics and motivation theory.
Background:
- Existing frameworks for understanding motivation and action selection.
- The role of internal states and external cues in guiding behavior.
Purpose of the Study:
- To refine a theoretical framework for motivation and action.
- To differentiate between regulatory variables and affordances in decision-making.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis and theoretical refinement.
- Distinguishing between different types of input influencing behavior.
Main Results:
- Identification of two distinct input categories: regulatory variables and affordances.
- Clarification of how motivational salience is calibrated by regulatory variables.
- Explanation of how affordances become relevant only after motivation is engaged.
Conclusions:
- The proposed distinction offers a clearer understanding of motivational processes.
- Regulatory variables and affordances play sequential and distinct roles in action selection.
- This refined framework can enhance models of goal-directed behavior.
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