Rethinking Vision and Action

Action is an important arbitrator as to whether an individual or a species will survive. Yet, action has not been well integrated into the study of psychology. Action or motor behavior is a field apart. This is traditional science with its need for specialization. The sequence in a typical laboratory experiment of see -> decide -> act provides the rationale for broad disciplinary categorizations.With renewed interest in action itself, surprising and exciting anomalous findings at odds with this simplified caricature have emerged. They reveal a much more intimate coupling of vision and action, which we describe. In turn, this prompts us to identify and dwell on three pertinent theories deserving of greater notice.

Automated summary

Action plays a crucial role in determining survival, but has not been fully integrated into psychology. The field of action or motor behavior is separate from traditional psychology due to the need for specialization. However, recent interest in action has uncovered unexpected findings that challenge traditional theories, revealing a closer relationship between vision and action.