Useful Dimensions of Haptic Perception: 50 Years After The Senses Considered as Perceptual Systems

ABSTRACT

In addressing the character of the haptic system, James Gibson (1966) noted, “The study of useful sensitivity, as distinguished from theoretically basic sensitivities, is only just beginning” (p. 116). Whereas the preceding 150 years had gotten mired in an inventory of isolated sensations, the ensuing 50 years have revealed a good deal about the capabilities of a perceptual system that detects information about the self, the environment, and self-environment relations by means of muscular effort. That research is summarized with special attention to the kind of medium that could ground the useful dimensions of haptic sensitivity.

Funding

Much of the research reported here was supported by the National Science Foundation over 25 years [Grant numbers BNS 87-20144, BNS 90-11013, SBR 93-09371, SBR 97-09678, SBR 00-04097, and BCS 09-25373].

Notes

¹ The term effectivity was introduced as a complement to the term affordance (Shaw, Turvey, & Mace, 1982). It refers to a goal-directed action within an organism's behavioral repertoire that actualizes the affordance.

² Connective tissue forms compartments separated from other tissues by lamina. A compartment expands due to situation-dependent influxes of fluids and cells.