Action-perception patterns emerge from coupling and adaptation

Organisms function in particular environments, the properties of which are reflected in the structure of their nervous systems. Therefore, sensory inf ormation may directly specify motor behaviors. We argue that such specifica tion involves the coupling of sensory information into appropriately struct ured control systems that generate action. The nature of this coupling as w ell as the structure of the control systems reflect properties of the envir onment. This is most dramatically demonstrated when adaptive processes adju st the underlying control system in response to changes in the environ ment . Experimental and modeling work on posture in perturbed visual and haptic environments is reviewed to provide evidence for these arguments. Theoretic al modeling and autonomous robotics work that goes beyond the posture examp le of perception-action coupling is briefly discussed, primarily to point o ut that the integration of multiple behavioral constraints is a nontrivial problem that has received too little attention.