The actualization of a simple affordance task—grasping and moving wooden planks of different sizes using either one or two hands—was assessed in the context of taskrelevant (plank sequence, plank presentation speed) and task-irrelevant (cognitive load) manipulations. In Experiment 1, fast (3 s/plank) and self-paced (≈5 s/plank) presentation speeds revealed hysteresis; the transition point for ascending series was greater than the transition point for descending series. Hysteresis was eliminated in the slowest presentation speed (10 s/plank). In Experiment 2, hysteresis was exaggerated by a cognitive load (counting backward by seven) for both fast and slow presentation speeds. These results suggest that behavioral responses to the attractor dynamics of perceived affordances are processes that require minimal cognitive resources.
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Stacy M. Lopresti-Goodman, Michael J. Richardson, Reuben M. Baron, Claudia Carello, and Kerry L. Marsh
Sara M. Scharoun, Pamela J. Bryden, Michael E. Cinelli, David A. Gonzalez, and Eric A. Roy
This study investigated whether 5- to 11-year-old children perceive affordances in the same way as adults (M age = 22.93, SD = 2.16) when presented with a task and four tools (nail in a block of wood and a hammer, rock, wrench, and comb; bucket of sand and a shovel, wooden block, rake, and tweezers; and a screw in a block of wood and a screwdriver, knife, dime, and crayon). Participants were asked to select the best tool and act on an object until all four assigned tools had been selected. No explicit instructions were provided because we were interested in how task perception would influence tool selection and action. Results support the notion that the capacity to perceive affordances increases with age. Furthermore, differences in the way in which 5-year-olds acted on the screw in a block of wood demonstrated that the ability to detect some affordances takes longer to refine. Findings help to further the understanding of the development of perception-action coupling.
Gert-Jan Pepping and François-Xavier Li
Studies on affordance perception commonly report systematic errors; a finding that is at odds with the observation that everyday motor behavior is accurate. The present study investigated whether the means by which perceptual performance is measured could explain the reported errors. Perception of overhead reachability and reaction time were measured using a verbal and an actual reaching response in a standing reach, and a reach-and-jump. Results show that participants accurately perceived their action boundaries for both tasks and in both response conditions. A simple reach, however, took less time to initiate (1,094 ms) than a reach-and jump (1,214 ms). Interestingly, the verbal response took considerably more time to initiate (1,424 ms) than the actual reach (1,154 ms). These results suggest that making verbal judgments about affordances is a different task than actually acting on them. It is therefore concluded that the use of conscious judgments to measure perceptual performance should be considered with care.
Fábio Saraiva Flôres, Luis Paulo Rodrigues, and Rita Cordovil
proximal processes occur. These proximal interactional processes of development relate also directly to the Gibsonian ecological approach. To Gibson ( 1979 ), each environment has materials, spaces, surfaces, actions, events, and people that provide the child possibilities for action (i.e., affordances
Natalia Korhonen, Aku Nikander, and Tatiana V. Ryba
imbalance between the domains of sports, study, and private life in the environment, we focused on analyzing and mapping the ecological dynamics of the environment: (a) the affordances of the environment, which Immonen et al. ( 2018 ) define broadly as relational concepts that combine features of an
Martin E. Block
Recent evidence utilizing an ecological approach to perception (Gibson, 1979; Warren, 1984) suggests that children acquire the ability to distinguish what movement an environment “affords” soon after they acquire motor skills (e.g., Gibson et al., 1987; Palmer, 1989; Ulrich, Thelen, & Niles, 1991). However, it is still unclear whether or not children with cognitive disabilities can accurately perceive affordances (see Burton, 1987, 1990). The purpose of this study was to determine if boys with mild mental retardation could perceive affordances for the skill of jumping distances (standing long jump). Boys with mild mental retardation were asked to judge whether or not various distances could be jumped across by use of a two-footed takeoff and landing. Perceptual judgment was then compared to actual maximum jumping distance. Results indicate that boys with mental retardation were able to accurately perceive the affordance for jumping distance. Results were explained via an ecological perspective.
Joshua Nimmins, Ben Strafford, and Joseph Stone
is a crucial development point as the ability to specify key affordances enables decision making and accelerated acquisition of desired movement behaviors ( Poltavski & Biberdorf, 2014 ). However, these findings are attributed to age-appropriate modifications due to the inability of young players to
Mark O’Sullivan, Vladislav A. Bespomoshchnov, and Clifford J. Mallett
culturally embedded in a history of engagement with affordances. An Ecological Perspective of Expertise An ecological perspective simultaneously places an emphasis on both the individual and environment and their reciprocal interactions ( Araújo et al., 2017 ). Consistent with this perspective, learning
Kimberly A. Clevenger, Michael J. Wierenga, Cheryl A. Howe, and Karin A. Pfeiffer
because different locations afford different behaviors (e.g., a sandbox affords seated play, while an open field may afford more running; Gibson, 1977 ). However, due to substantial variability not just in schoolyard design but also in sample characteristics, study design, and recess timing
Steven Loy
evolution), and we have developed our program to serve 4 different fitness levels, including a falls prevention group, and deliver a free diabetes program modified from the National Diabetes Prevention Program. The 3 WINS Fitness program is sustainable, affordable, replicable, and scalable. The problem of
