Skip to main content

How Humans Optimize Their Interaction with the Environment: The Impact of Action Context on Human Perception

  • Conference paper

Part of the book series: Communications in Computer and Information Science ((CCIS,volume 44))

Abstract

Humans have developed various mechanisms to optimize interaction with the environment. Optimization of action planning requires efficient selection of action-relevant features. Selection might also depend on the environmental context in which an action takes place. The present study investigated how action context influences perceptual processing in action planning. The experimental paradigm comprised two independent tasks: (1) a perceptual visual search task and (2) a grasping or a pointing movement. Reaction times in the visual search task were measured as a function of the movement type (grasping vs. pointing) and context complexity (context varying along one dimension vs. context varying along two dimensions). Results showed that action context influenced reaction times, which suggests a close bidirectional link between action and perception as well as an impact of environmental action context on perceptual selection in the course of action planning. Such findings are discussed in the context of application for robotics.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Buying options

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   84.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   109.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Bekkering, H., Neggers, S.F.W.: Visual search is modulated by action intentions. Psychological Science 13, 370–374 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Craighero, L., Fadiga, L., Rizzolatti, G., Umiltà, C.A.: Action for perception: a motor-visual attentional effect. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance 25, 1673–1692 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Fagioli, S., Hommel, B., Schubotz, R.I.: Intentional control of attention: Action planning primes action related stimulus dimensions. Psychological Research 71, 22–29 (2007)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Goodale, M.A., Milner, A.D.: Separate visual pathways for perception and action. Trends in Neurosciences 15, 20–25 (1992)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Hommel, B., Müsseler, J., Aschersleben, G., Prinz, W.: The theory of event coding (TEC): A framework for perception and action planning. Behavioral and Brain Sciences 24, 849–937 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Humphreys, G.W., Riddoch, M.J.: Detection by action: neuropsychological evidence for action-defined templates in search. Nature Neuroscience 4, 84–89 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Rizzolatti, G., Craighero, L.: The mirror-neuron system. Annual Review of Neuroscience 27, 169–192 (2004)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Rossetti, Y., Pisella, L., Vighetto, A.: Optic ataxia revisited: visually guided action versus immediate visuomotor control. Experimental Brain Research 153, 171–179 (2003)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Schubotz, R.I., von Cramon, D.Y.: Predicting perceptual events activates corresponding motor schemes in lateral premotor cortex: An fMRI study. Neuroimage 15, 787–796 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Sebanz, N., Bekkering, H., Knoblich, G.: Joint action: bodies and minds moving together. Trends in Cognitive Sciences 10, 70–76 (2006)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Tucker, M., Ellis, R.: The potentiation of grasp types during visual object categorization. Visual Cognition 8, 769–800 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Turner, R.M.: The context-mediated behavior for intelligent agents. International Journal of Human-Computer Studies 48, 307–330 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Wolpert, D.M., Kawato, M.: Multiple paired forward and inverse models for motor control. Neural Networks 11, 1317–1329 (1998)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Wykowska, A., Schubö, A., Hommel, B.: How you move is what you see: Action planning biases selection in visual search. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance (in press)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2009 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Wykowska, A., Maldonado, A., Beetz, M., Schubö, A. (2009). How Humans Optimize Their Interaction with the Environment: The Impact of Action Context on Human Perception. In: Kim, JH., et al. Progress in Robotics. FIRA 2009. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 44. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03986-7_19

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-03986-7_19

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-03985-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-03986-7

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics