Direct learning

This chapter introduces the theory of direct learning in the context of visually guided action. The authors argue that information for learning emerges as a lawful consequence of the cycle of perception and action and that the detection of such information is crucial to learning. A review of studies on perceptual-motor learning is used to elaborate this view. Learning is portrayed as a movement in a continuous learning space, with each locus reflecting a particular perception-action coupling. Within the learning space, information for learning is seen as a vector field that leads the learner to better performance. The usefulness of the vector-field formalization is demonstrated via studies into haptic perception. The authors respond to the criticism that direct learning would not take individual differences into account and reflect on the theory in light of indirect approaches to learning. They conclude that the perception-action cycle and the therefrom emerging information are indispensable concepts for any theory of perceptual-motor learning.