On ecological conceptualizations of perceptual systems and action systems

This article examines Gibson's concept of perceptual system and Reed's concept of action system. After discussing several assumptions underlying these concepts, the ontological status of these systems is considered. It is argued that perceptual systems and action systems should be conceptualized neither as parts of an animal's body nor as softly (temporarily) assembled devices; rather, they are best understood as animals' abilities to achieve functional relationships, that is, as dispositional properties. This conceptualization entails that these systems are relatively permanent properties of the animal that are causally supported by, though not identical to, anatomical substrates. Further, it entails that it is the animal that perceives and acts, not its perceptual and action systems

Robot bouncing: On the synergy between neural and body-environment dynamics

The study of how infants strapped in a Jolly Jumper learn to bounce can help clarify how they explore different ways of exploiting the dynamics of their movements. In this paper, we describe and discuss a set of preliminary experiments performed with a bouncing humanoid robot and aimed at instantiating a few computational principles thought to underlie the development of motor skills. Our experiments show that a suitable choice of the coupling constants between hip, knee, and ankle joints, as well as of the strength of the sensory feedback, induces a reduction of movement variability, and leads to an increase in bouncing amplitude and movement stability. This result is attributed to the synergy between neural and body-environment dynamics

‘As good as chocolate’ and ‘better than ice cream’: how toddler, and older, breastfeeders experience breastfeeding

The breastfeeding experiences of 114 Australian children who were currently breastfeeding were explored via maternal observation and direct questioning of the children. Mothers commonly stated that their child breastfed for comfort and this opinion was validated by observations of when the children breastfed, which was often in the transition to sleep or when the child was upset. Children stated that they liked breastfeeding and that they felt happy, good or nice when they breastfed. Children expressed that they liked the taste of breastmilk and compared the flavour to a wide variety of foods. Conversations with the children revealed that they had learnt significant information about breastfeeding. Breastfeeding role‐play was often involved in this learning and it is proposed that this learning should be valued. This study is the first examination of breastfeeding from the viewpoint of children, who are the actual breastfeeders, and provides insight into their practices and motivations