Toward an Action-Concept Model of Stimulus-Response Compatibility

This chapter highlights the importance of the problem of action coding, that is, the cognitive representation of action, for theories of S-R compatibility. An action-concept model of S-R compatibility is presented, based on considerations of Lotze and HarleB on the emergence of voluntary action. It assumes that the cognitive code of any perceivable, movement-contingent event--hence, action effectmis associated with the motor pattern producing it. Accordingly, the cognitive system can, and actually does, use these action-effect codes to choose between actions and to address motor patterns for action generation. That is, acton-effect codes serve for perception as well as for action control, and are thus called action concepts. The explanatory power of the action-concept model is demonstrated for a considerable number of findings from compatibility research. It is argued that such a model could close a theoretical gap in understanding S-R compatibility and the perception-action relationship in general.