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Useful misrepresentation: perception as embodied proactive inference

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Abstract

According to the predictive processing framework, perception is geared to represent the environment in terms of embodied action opportunities as opposed to objective truth. Here, we argue that such an optimisation is reflected by biases in expectations (i.e., prior predictive information) that facilitate ‘useful’ inferences of external sensory causes. To support this, we highlight a body of literature suggesting that perception is systematically biased away from accurate estimates under conditions where utility and accuracy conflict with one another. We interpret this to reflect the brain’s attempt to adjudicate between conflicting sources of prediction error, as external accuracy is sacrificed to facilitate actions that proactively avoid physiologically surprising outcomes. This carries important theoretical implications and offers new insights into psychopathology.

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"
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,*114 516 1
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**  **1* 1  1, 
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** + 11
=,**
/1*-1>>?511
1%*
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>*,2* ***3*
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62E7:I
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  6         1 17 
1,312
2,*2
,;,*I+ ,    67312
2I+1
    1  + 1   1
3
,,
,,,:
/2*1221,2*
212;,@GA%14 
5<J
112*12
1892
1!
@KLA
-<*, < 1 612  27
,116*MG
  * 7 ,  , 
1 62  127,  1  
1,12*65
,7>,55 ,11
1 +   , <  , 1 * , 
,2*   1  : 51  N
    ,  ,  *   
*@KLA1!*1@OA *
  1  1  ,    ,
4
   ,  , 1  1 1
**1*12*
#$
**,
*     1 , 1  @PA +    
11,*1*
 **8*95* , -*
*1,
1 6 *7   1  
1*   *    ,   
@MA $, 1  1 
,  ,*   5  61   7
*    ** -* 1 
1,,@PA/671**;1
(<*6#71**(<
; 1 1  1        *
111*11<6
,,@#A7
5
?   1 1   1
****@*FA
1 1 1  * 6
7*1**6*
7,*21
,
        1 * 6B1
;@GA7 :     1
  1  ** 6 1  7*1
1 ** 1E  **1 
1,1*
  *  *    @KA + *
  3   2    
11@LA
:  *   * * *  45
6*QQ* 7  6* *QQ57
**1***,+
*@LA1*,E
*    E    *    
1=11@OA,
116=@PA7J*
6
1 /*,1
,111
1*5
   1  *  1 1 ,
* 1    * *     >
*15*15*1
 * 1   8 C    E 
1  2  1  1  
 * 1  2 9 @#MA 6 FG7 +  
1 1    8 = 11@#MA
,1   ,*
1 41*       1  + 
*      *     E  1
6897(@###A
    *1 /  ; 8 *9 
14  5,    
2111:
,  ,      * 2*    
1 ,11  1  (1
512*+,,5
7
%!"&'"$(
 2*  1  1 * 1
 *1@#)A1* 4
    1 6;7  !    *
6%7:**1
* 1        =  1* *;
,1*131,
 *116897*1
1N= *@#FA   *
*168N971*68597
%*51**1
 , 1    1
@#GA
:11 1 1
(1@#KA51@#L#OA1>* (1
  1 5    1 1 *
*   , 51 4541 *
** 1*1 @#PA+ *
**  @)MA-*511
     *   1 @)A  1  
8
 1@)#AR ,(11@))A 
=51@)FA6@)GA7
?51568,97
@)KA + 1 4  1   45    * 
1      *5
5      5 51     
*3,,5@)LA
51   2     ,  * 
5*@)MA>1
5(689@)KA7
:51,1111
,25#
:  1  (1  51  N *
1*,8111*(1
**1*519@#LA6FMF7
:,89511
111*1
,515
1@)M)KA
*5819,8"
9
#$#!11,@SA,
**,*9@A6G7:
 4 51 1*
, 8*T*  , *9 -(1    1 
1*1*
:**1*51
 1  1  , *  6 *1*7
:51   I+  
5(1!5
1*+,
,5*8*=9(1
,  3      51   
12*U1;,89@)O
)PA   1  <  1   *    
 1 1    *  :  
!,68
CC  2    = ,    7  , 
       6 >>   , 
17-    * ,       +2 @LA  2*
11  /8,  ,6
7     +1 B*; 
10
96P7"1
*111
%)* "+
$*511
1N,
1*11,
14,@OA?1*=
 51  1  * 1  *     
*15**,22
  *  ,  * , ,  *  4   1 
* * @FMA       2  
1 1    , @FFFA       
11,1,
   5 8* 9 ,      1 
*111*,*
 * * * @FGA *
 * 2   1 , ,   , 
**1@FKA
1 *1* 5==
1,
11
 *  1 1 @FLA >1*    * 
1    ,@FLA**1*
1*1*15,
*,1@FOA@FPA
*,@#GA$1(@#GFOA
1,   @FPA$N=   
*41*15
**1**5
1@#GA
$=11 51    * 1  5
1<151
1  2    1  +    
,*   *  1    1     5
E  5  1  *   1  
*3 62 7   6(4 7@GMA
*,22*,,
*,*4*1*,
,@GA11*51*,1*
@G#A+  5 1*1 4 6
@G)A,7 <1*415
*    ,
12
1 1 ,2 < @GFA 6@GGGLA 
 57  * 1    1
1     ,  @GOA    @GPA 
4  4 11  *
** , 1  16 ,*7 
*@KMKA+12**
22*11
*  11* 1 
  6517  *1, 
*1*
-,11
151 * 1 , 
1, 11*+
5124,
,@)MA+1V 1
,*89
68197>1
      * *      
1,**@K#A+4
=  1   , *  5     
13
+5,6**7**
*6@K)A7,5,
  1   1   *  *
< 51 1  1*  4
1111
+  5      * , (  5 
681, 1 97 *  *=1
* @FA5*8*9
,16**78*
*11@A=E1
 9 @#A 6 ))7 + ,*1*    1* 
*6*7=11*
*    >5 , *
    ,      1   ,
1 5  *
1 @KFKKA :        1 ,
*5)
,"-(./
14
J   1         1
1   1  * , 1  
*,,
,1  1     5  
: ,,1  !*,41*
  1  J    511, 
6812297151   
  *       ,   * 
3 J    51    , 1 682 
1297  1  1     
 * 1 * 8*9
*
,; 1   I 151 
**T*,V1
1*:,
*<1,1-1
1     1       
E-* 2*  1   
   ,  1  * 2  ,
1,1,51*@)MA1
**1*1-*1
15
111@KLA5
 *  2          1 ,
* 3     
11*16,;*
;17 V 1 1   1*2
 ,
,168;1297%1
,1**
-$01
+1 *1 *@FA
**E1@KOA:**
  11        *  1
1    *       
 -    1   *  
 ,  1   8     * 
*1*19@KPA6GL7>
,5,R,5
,@LA
16
:         1    
*1>1
<***11
*1111@LMA
     *   
1=,1@#A1
*1@LA*@L#A
,    *   1
*  1 1
1@)OA11
R24E11

+1*5
   , 1   4 ,     ,
1@L)A=(1@LFA*2 %&
!@LGA6@)PLKLLA7E1,151
=  ,  , 1* 
=,   ,  @LOA6
'$"(7

17
&$2 1 1(5*4
; 8 *9  ,    ,     
2,*:5,1,
,V**-2E1*,
  ,    1    * 
5  2  12 22 
12I
!%%2*!"
  ,  ,2  *4
112*$+6$+7@LPA$+
       *   =   5
E1*,+E
  *    1 1 61 *  
17 , 5   5 <    , 
   1  1      
5!516!27161
7  11  1  
,:$+1*14
1,E =+  2 $+, 
1116,
18
*7D1*12D
@OMA6F7>1,8,
1   1 D@OA6
G#)7 1  8 
*9@O#A6L7*1*
1*1+1,
*E11*,
*<-*
*12
1  V*,  5
+311
!%%3-%)"$"-4%
W111
 4  *1  
@)KA+,,11/
)  , 1 1  4 5
*1 6      <  ,  *  
7R     1 1   
(5*16
,*7:1,*
19
    *      11 
*11,1+,
51=6,1<7,
 *     45 51   5
11   5 5* 2@GMG#A
*@GFGLA>516, *
1 *  57 ,  *   1  **1 
+*,
 *  5 21
*5@O)A
11,1,
11=1*1E@OFOGA+
  2      45     
1 - E1 ,
1  4  1 1  <   1  
E1,  *5, 
**,*,@OKA**
4*@OLA,2
5@OOA
!%%56!&7089:&
20
+ ,2      1  ,   
*<,
4  5  819,1
,*1*        , * 
,1(1*:5
1  51
*@)OPA+,
,15*
  1     1 @GOPMA    1 
51@PP#A1,1
,*11*@P)A
+ 1     2 , 1 5  
11,12@KF
KKA,221
11**2@PFPGA-*
E=14B;,
**     
*,****:
51*
1,51@PKA+
*1111
6 , 5 *7 , 
21
    * 8U*9  !   * 
 *  *   * 5    
**@PLA:1  
2

1$/:2,*$--$
*X>1%,
1         *  $
**N6+?F)MQO+?F)MQP72%%
2 %      U 1 H   Y
11
6
*+,-,21*1,2:
11 *; 1,  
  1 1  *       < 
1-1    8<* 9, ,1
**,,*1

22
*,+****1*
   1  - 68 * *97 
 =  68*97  
  <5   1  * 
**51*
*6*,1**7
% & !,-  *5 , E1 , 
**>
2<1617
,,22,**
I+
,>511141*
*1 6117>1
 5,,**1
+  1   4   * 6B ;7  ,
6B;71,*45
 1 4     1     5

23
$ " -.,- 41 1 ,2   
*11*1>*1
* * 1 +   1*   <
   1 * , 1 1   ,  

/-111*1
* *,6*1*
7+  1*   *
,*55*5
      3  2      *
 1 *    ,     
Z15***
15
/, -, >  2*   4
5=E  * >
1   * ,  , <   4 * 
1*1**1
/0/-15<
+*11651
24
7(1>89
1   *  1    , 
1<*
25
0
 %2 - 6#MG7 1" , $  $  !$$ $ J5

#,X6#M)72$$J5
)!6#MO7+1*0OFK)F
KF)
F,X6#MMO71*5/-*,
3"MOKOLLM
GX$$6#M)7+1/?**1
12*2$44#OFLFFO
K"6#MG7+1*1>25$!4
"6$7PKOPOLX:[
L " Z($ 6#MMK7 +1/- *1 1
*1&MFLKK
OH\(H6#MF781!*9*16KK)
KL)
P  +  \ X 6#MP7" *  1 0
3!)FPGG)
M(H 6#ML7 +  1/1   
1*!13"*78#)
-\X6#MO7*1/,1
,2PG#FGP#FO#
26
#-+26#MO7+</>11*
   > 2  $, 9   # 6+2
$7#L'FGJ5
)\=6#MO7+1/1*
>')$$!  ", !$$ )$$$  6Z, - 
7#F)'#KMJ5
F 2 X  *  6#MP7 -/ -  1  
**12$8F#LFMLG#
G-\6#M)7>112$3"
LGKGGL)
K*6#MF7/11
**LP#P)
L-\+26#MO7*/1 ]
2$3"##PKPPO
O %2  6#MML7 %1   1 1/  = 11
2&:$00)K#GOGGPP
P"XX6PLP72"*^
#M!!"%26#MK7Z*1*=/2
*12$3"#MFFF#F
#!!"6#MO71/1 2$
3"###PF)MK
27
## % - :   6#M#M7  1 *  */ 1
**1**10)GFG
#)"$[,X-6PKK7"$$:
#FW=W\"6#MMO7+=/,
283#MOL)'P##
#G:%Z6#MK7*5
<14KPK
#K     \ 6#MM7 -(1   *9 5
8F#G
#L<%?*+6#MMP7?516(17*1 2$
3")FM)FMP
#O< %  $ H*  6#MF7?51    2*/
18&8GLFGLGK
#P:U  6#M#7 $ 4 * 
18*$/*MP)GP))GPO
)M$H*6#MO7,511I2$3"##
LKFLLP
)\26#M#7H/511
58LG#KG#LM
)# \    6#ML7 ?*     1  
13"8#PFFGFGF
28
)) "6#MM71 *1I
41GPP#K
)F">6#MO7*(1
13!3)#OLLLO#
)G -2 -  2  6#M#7 % 51   5  
(11I8+"#)LO#F
)K+% %6#M#M718&
8##)#F#
)L   6#M#7  J3  <  3 %  doi:
10.1177/0963721420984403
)O::6#ML7-1114O##))
#G#
)P12%H6#MP7+21*
1  *  *1I > *1 : 3 $"
67FMFL>+
FMUX6#MMF7*=1*
*,2))GFLGKM
F - " :   6#MMG7   , 1   1/ -
1*1*??"+GL#G)#
F#5  ?  : 6#MG7 W,  1
;G)
29
F):!"6#MF7W/W,
1*96)LL
FF:!"   6#ML7 W> *  , =  
83)'M
FGZ=X"6#MO7-1U-H*1>
!   $ " 6 + H 7  )KKFL# %*

FK X2 W ?  %2 H \ 6#MML7 ? *1    
KP)G))K#
FL-2_`6#MK7+==11
*<=LFO)
FO 2 ?  W2  6#MMF7 1       3"
4OPKPLK
FP2+>6#MMP7>=1
5/?13"4#)KOOLMM
GM U* ?   6#M#7 +  1  *  13
0##WO#KWO#L
G a* b   6#ML7 + 1      1 
&LO
G#X2W?%2H\6#MM7W**12
*;MO
30
G)a X W  % " H 6#M7 ?1  1/ +  =1
1>+$&3"#KLKKOG
GFZ=X"6#M#7*<1*
450)))O)##
GG-+3Z6#MF75*51
*,*11:'PPPPM#
GK     6#MO7 "    *, )
MPGGPM
GLX\2X6#MMP7$C2,/?1*
14)?)O)
GO $ W   6#MF7 + =      1  
11024)FG))O
GP H  \   6#M#7 -=1  4 1  =1* 
*14#L#K
KM:*b  6#MP7?= * 1  9
=FO
K%*!-:"6#MM7+1=FOP
FPL
K#$H W 6#MG71> 3!$"$!  " 2
3!$"$!$6=WW7GKO'
GP%*
31
K)!!"6#MF7:*I-1*
3"*708FPM#P
KF\+  6#M#M7 W2* 1  '- 1 *
180!&)FFOFKM
KGH -   6#M#M7 -1    * / -
*   67 1 55   *
500&)OM#F#
KKH%(W6#M#M71(1/>*
1**!#PG)F
KL\6#MG7-13"8KOL#F
KO - \ 6#MG7 + 1c 1  
1*>'+8%,6-2.6!*+:X7
2/>Z$"/MGGM#QPLO)PGOGLMMO
KP: $ 6#MO7 1 *   1 ,$ #O
FL#
LM \ W  ?= % 6#MM7 + 1   *4 5
0))MP)P
L %   6#M#M7 1 -=1 >/ 1*-1 -=1
$>**  ? > +> * +
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L# X -   6#MF7 U      * 9
G))
32
L)X6#M#7%1*5I
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2$3"67
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%
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[
OM %2 - 6#M#M7  I -*    1  *
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103!MKG#)GF
O# "  X 6#MP7 :    *     
IAA,B==<BC6
O)X6#M#M72<
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33
OF+6#MF7W1*1E#G
GKKGLF
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... In the same way that active vision involves externally visible eye movements, one can see paying attention as a form of internal neural action (Sch€ utz et al., 2011). From this perspective, multistability might best be conceived as an internal, at least partly controlled, process (Dayan, 2012a, ;Leopold and Logothetis, 1999;Parr et al., 2019;Martin et al., 2021) that responds to the same sort of affective imperatives as other controlled processes. The most obvious expectation from this is that multistability should be influenced by values, both explicitly and implicitly via the information that percepts might provide to allow a valuable choice of actions. ...
... Elevating visual perception from a mere sensory inference to being a key contributor to affective decision-making requires us to consider how the values of sensory objects influence what we look at and also how we interpret what we see. There are prominent examples of value-laden interpretations of images (for a review, see Martin et al., 2021); however, we focus on what we choose to look at. Indeed, it is known that different aspects of eye movements (e.g., velocity, amplitude, reaction time, and gaze duration) are modulated by various sorts of values in visual-based affective decision-making tasks (see e.g., Shams-Ahmar and Thier, 2020). ...
... Equally, if there is no difference in the value associated with any part of the scene, we can expect that the agents at some point will favor foveating parts of scenes that are poorly predicted by their current beliefs (Itti and Baldi, 2009;Li, 1999) since this will be an efficient way of reducing uncertainty about the state, which will generally facilitate the appropriate choice of action (Martin et al., 2021). In this case, switching will occur for reasons of both ''push'' and ''pull'': push, as all the available information about the currently foveated location is registered, with even all the multiple modes explored; pull, from known ignorance about previously uninspected parts of the scene and as beliefs about other locations become less sharp based on expectations about changes in the world. ...
Article
Substantial experimental, theoretical, and computational insights into sensory processing have been derived from the phenomena of perceptual multistability—when two or more percepts alternate or switch in response to a single sensory input. Here, we review a range of findings suggesting that alternations can be seen as internal choices by the brain responding to values. We discuss how elements of external, experimenter-controlled values and internal, uncertainty- and aesthetics-dependent values influence multistability. We then consider the implications for the involvement in switching of regions, such as the anterior cingulate cortex, which are more conventionally tied to value-dependent operations such as cognitive control and foraging.
... Kekeliruan ini berpotensi menimbulkan kesalahpahaman dan dapat menyebar di depan umum (Pillay, 2020;Robinson, 2019). Kesalahan penyampaian informasi dengan cara ini dapat menyebabkan kerugian dan melanggengkan kesalahpahaman (Martin et al., 2021). Dalam bidang karya tulis, mispersepsi dipandang sebagai penjelasan yang menghasilkan persepsi negatif melalui membaca (Boutron & Ravaud, 2018). ...
Article
Misperception in reading Matan Safiinatun Najaah. The process of encoding and decoding information can actually result in errors in understanding its meaning. Reading the book of Turats in Islamic boarding schools often experiences errors that can lead to misperceptions that result in a wrong understanding of religious teachings. The purpose of this study is to describe the forms, causes, and effects of misperceptions in reading Matan Safiinatun Najaah. This research method uses a qualitative-descriptive approach by conducting field observations. Data obtained through observation, tests, and documentation The research participants were seven female students at the Daruzzahra Ar-Rifa’i 2 Islamic Boarding School in Malang. The results showed that the reading of Matan Safiinatun Najaah by female students resulted in various errors and misperceptions. The findings of the tables in this article provide examples of misreadings such as errors in vowels and letters which have an impact on meaning errors. Misperceptions that occur in reading the book of Turats can have a negative impact, such as the spread of erroneous religious understanding or actions that are contrary to religious teachings. This research indicates that the reading of Matan Safiinatun Najaah in Islamic boarding schools often experiences errors and misperceptions. Increasing understanding of the scriptures and attention to the Arabic language can help avoid misperceptions. This article provides an explanation of the frequent reading errors and their impact, as well as an understanding of the importance of paying attention to context and Arabic when reading the book of Turats.Keywords: kitab Turats, Matan Safinatun Najaah, reading, misperceptions, pesantrenAbstrakMispersepsi dalam pembacaan Matan Safiinatun Najaah. Proses encoding dan decoding informasi ternyata dapat mengakibatkan kesalahan dalam memahami makna. Pembacaan kitab Turats di pondok pesantren tidak jarang mengalami kesalahan yang dapat menyebabkan mispersepsi yang berdampak pada pemahaman yang salah tentang ajaran agama. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk memaparkan bentuk, penyebab, dan dampak mispersepsi dalam pembacaan Matan Safiinatun Najaah. Metode penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif-deskriptif dengan melakukan observasi lapangan. Data diperoleh melalui observasi, tes, dan dokumentasi. Partisipan penelitian adalah tujuh santriwati di Pondok Pesantren Daruzzahra Ar-Rifa’i 2 Malang. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pembacaan Matan Safiinatun Najaah oleh santriwati menghasilkan bermacam-macam kesalahan dan mispersepsi. Temuan tabel-tabel dalam artikel ini memaparkan contoh kesalahan pembacaan seperti kesalahan dalam harakat dan huruf yang berdampak pada kesalahan makna. Mispersepsi yang terjadi dalam pembacaan kitab Turats dapat berdampak negatif, seperti penyebaran pemahaman agama yang keliru atau tindakan yang bertentangan dengan ajaran agama. Dari hasil penelitian ini, penulis menemukan bahwa pembacaan Matan Safiinatun Najaah di pondok pesantren tidak jarang mengalami kesalahan dan mispersepsi. Meningkatkan pemahaman terhadap kitab dan perhatian terhadap bahasa Arab dapat membantu menghindari terjadinya mispersepsi. Artikel ini memberikan paparan tentang kesalahan pembacaan yang sering terjadi dan dampaknya serta memberikan pemahaman tentang pentingnya memperhatikan konteks dan bahasa Arab dalam membaca kitab Turats.Kata-kata kunci: kitab Turats, Matan Safiinatun Najaah, membaca, mispersepsi, pesantren
... This implies that what we perceive of the world and ourselves within it is subjective and geared to represent the environment in terms of embodied action opportunities as opposed to objective truth (Martin et al., 2021). Through active inference, embodied agents interpret and proactively interact with salient features of their environment (Bruineberg et al., 2018); which crucially includes other human agents (Bolis and Schilbach, 2020). ...
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Intriguing explorations at the intersection of the fields of neuroscience and psychology are driven by the quest to understand the neural underpinnings of “the self” and their psychotherapeutic implications. These translational efforts pertain to the unique Creative Arts Therapies (CATs) and the attributes and value of the self-related processes they offer. The self is considered as a multi-layered complex construct, comprising bodily and mental constituents, subjective–objective perspectives, spatial and temporal dimensions. Neuroscience research, mostly functional brain imaging, has proposed cogent models of the constitution, development and experience of the self, elucidating how the multiple dimensions of the self are supported by integrated hierarchical brain processes. The psychotherapeutic use of the art-forms, generating aesthetic experiences and creative processes, touch upon and connect the various layers of self-experience, nurturing the sense of self. The present conceptual analysis will describe and interweave the neural mechanisms and neural network configuration suggested to lie at the core of the ongoing self-experience, its deviations in psychopathology, and implications regarding the psychotherapeutic use of the arts. The well-established, parsimonious and neurobiologically plausible predictive processing account of brain-function will be discussed with regard to selfhood and consciousness. The epistemic affordance of the experiential CATs will further be portrayed, enabling and facilitating the creation of updated self-models of the body in the world. The neuropsychological impact of the relational therapeutic encounter will be delineated, acknowledging the intersubjective brain synchronization through communicative verbal and non-verbal means and aesthetic experiences. The recognition and assimilation of neuroscientific, phenomenological and clinical perspectives concerning the nested dimensionality of the self, ground the relational therapeutic process and the neuroplastic modulations that CATs have to offer on the premise of fostering, shaping and integrating selfhood.
... Finally, while in this-and the previous section-we considered distortions of generative models and ensuing beliefs from an information-theoretic perspective, another complementary perspective is that under certain circumstances, these distortions might be related to motivational and emotional factors and might have adaptive value for the organism (i.e., they might be useful misrepresentations). [97][98][99] Generative models and Bayesian beliefs can include a mixture of epistemic (accuracy-preserving) and motivational (utility-realizing) components. ...
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This paper considers neural representation through the lens of active inference, a normative framework for understanding brain function. It delves into how living organisms employ generative models to minimize the discrepancy between predictions and observations (as scored with variational free energy). The ensuing analysis suggests that the brain learns generative models to navigate the world adaptively, not (or not solely) to understand it. Different living organisms may possess an array of generative models, spanning from those that support action‐perception cycles to those that underwrite planning and imagination; namely, from explicit models that entail variables for predicting concurrent sensations, like objects, faces, or people—to action‐oriented models that predict action outcomes. It then elucidates how generative models and belief dynamics might link to neural representation and the implications of different types of generative models for understanding an agent's cognitive capabilities in relation to its ecological niche. The paper concludes with open questions regarding the evolution of generative models and the development of advanced cognitive abilities—and the gradual transition from pragmatic to detached neural representations. The analysis on offer foregrounds the diverse roles that generative models play in cognitive processes and the evolution of neural representation.
... However, each startle response at the sight of a green stick that we 64 mistook for a snake is wasting resources. Still, the gain of surviving an actual snake encounter 65 seems to outweigh the costs of false alarms (Martin et al., 2021). In anxiety disorders, this 66 leads to hypervigilancea constant monitoring of the environment for threat (Eysenck, 1992, 67 2014). ...
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Previous research on attention to fear-relevant stimuli has largely focused on static pictures or drawings, and thus did not consider the potential effect of natural motion. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of motion on attentional capture in spider-fearful and non-fearful participants by using point-light stimuli and naturalistic videos. Point-light stimuli consist of moving dots representing joints and thereby visualizing biological motion (e.g. of a walking human or cat) without needing a visible body. Spider-fearful (n = 30) and non-spider-fearful (n = 31) participants completed a visual search task with moving targets (point-light/naturalistic videos) and static distractors (images), static targets and moving distractors, or static targets and static distractors. Participants searched for a specified animal type (snakes, spiders, cats, or doves) as quickly as possible. We replicated previous findings with static stimuli: snakes were detected faster and increased distraction, while spiders just increased distraction. However, contrary to our hypotheses, spider targets did not speed up responses, neither in the group of control nor in the group of spider-fearful participants. Interestingly, stimuli-specific effects were toned down, abolished, or even changed direction when motion was introduced. Also, we demonstrated that point-light stimuli were of similar efficiency as naturalistic videos, indicating that for testing effects of motion in visual search, “pure” motion stimuli might be sufficient. As we do show a substantial modulation of visual search phenomena by biological motion, we advocate for future studies to use moving stimuli, equivalent to our dynamic environment, to increase ecological validity.
... Lastly, although our hypotheses and findings were interpreted in light of the EMT and "wishful seeing" biases, respectively, other frameworks could also prove useful in interpreting our results and guiding the work of future studies. Such is the case of the predictive coding framework, which considers both bottom-up and top-down processes in deciphering perceptual biases, and has already been linked to bistable perception (Weilnhammer et al., 2017) and to the EMT phenomenon (Martin et al., 2021). Hence, this comprehensive approach has the potential to provide further insights into the complexities of how the BIS is used to revise our internal representations and aid in disambiguating bistability. ...
Article
Recently, approach-avoidance tendencies and visual perception biases have been increasingly studied using bistable point-light walkers (PLWs). Prior studies have found a facing-the-viewer bias when one is primed with general threat stimuli (e.g. angry faces), explained by the "error management theory", as failing to detect a threat as approaching is riskier than the opposite. Importantly, no study has explored how disease threat - linked to the behavioural immune system - might affect this bias. This study aimed to explore whether disease-signalling cues can alter how we perceive the motion direction of ambiguous PLWs. Throughout 3 experiments, participants indicated the motion direction of a bistable PLW previously primed with a control or disease-signalling stimuli - that is, face with a surgical mask (Experiment 1), sickness sound (Experiment 2), or face with a disease cue (Experiment 3). Results showed that sickness cues do not significantly modulate the perception of approach-avoidance behaviours. However, a pattern emerged in Experiments 2 and 3, suggesting that sickness stimuli led to more facing away percepts. Unlike other types of threat, this implies that disease-related threat stimuli might trigger a distinct perceptual bias, indicating a preference to avoid a possible infection source. Nonetheless, this finding warrants future investigations.
... Another limitation concerns alternatives to our account. One such alternative would be an active (rather than passive) inference account of perception, along the lines recently proposed by [65]. In these accounts, not only are the noisy perceptual estimates considered, but also the utility of the decisions (considering the benefits and/or costs of the outcome), for the final perceptual decision. ...
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To form coherent multisensory perceptual representations, the brain must solve a causal inference problem: to decide if two sensory cues originated from the same event and should be combined, or if they came from different events and should be processed independently. According to current models of multisensory integration, during this process, the integrated (common cause) and segregated (different causes) internal perceptual models are entertained. In the present study, we propose that the causal inference process involves competition between these alternative perceptual models that engages the brain mechanisms of conflict processing. To test this hypothesis, we conducted two experiments, measuring reaction times (RTs) and electroencephalography, using an audiovisual ventriloquist illusion paradigm with varying degrees of intersensory disparities. Consistent with our hypotheses, incongruent trials led to slower RTs and higher fronto-medial theta power, both indicative of conflict. We also predicted that intermediate disparities would yield slower RTs and higher theta power when compared to congruent stimuli and to large disparities, owing to the steeper competition between causal models. Although this prediction was only validated in the RT study, both experiments displayed the anticipated trend. In conclusion, our findings suggest a potential involvement of the conflict mechanisms in multisensory integration of spatial information. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Decision and control processes in multisensory perception’.
... However, perception will be systematically biased under conditions where utility and accuracy conflict with one another (Martin, Solms, & Sterzer, 2021). Previous studies had categorized FTV bias as a type of error management bias and VFA bias as a type of statistics-based bias (Johnson, Blumstein, Fowler, & Haselton, 2013;Troje & McAdam, 2010;Zhang et al., 2017). ...
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The human spatial orientation system is well designed on the ground but is imperfect in the aeronautical three-dimensional (3D) environment. However, human perception systems perform Bayesian statistics based on encountered environments and form shortcuts to improve perceptual efficiency. It is unknown whether our perception of spatial orientation is modified by flying experience and forms perceptual biases. The current study tested pilot perceptual biases on ambiguous visual stimuli, the bistable point-light walkers, and found that flying experiences increased the pilot's tendency to perceive himself as higher than the target and the target as farther away from them. Such perceptual effects due to flight are likely to be attributed to experience of variable vestibular state in a higher position in 3D space, rather than the experience of a higher viewpoint. Our findings suggest that flying experience will modifies our visual perceptual biases, and that more attention should be paid to the enhanced viewing from above bias when flying to avoid overestimating altitude or viewing angle when the visual conditions are ambiguous.
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Previous research on attention to fear-relevant stimuli has largely focused on static pictures or drawings, and thus did not consider the potential effect of natural motion. Here, we aimed to investigate the effect of motion on attentional capture in spider-fearful and non-fearful participants by using point-light stimuli and naturalistic videos. Point-light stimuli consist of moving dots representing joints and thereby visualizing biological motion (e.g. of a walking human or cat) without needing a visible body. Spider-fearful (n = 30) and non-spider-fearful (n = 31) participants completed a visual search task with moving targets (point-light/naturalistic videos) and static distractors (images), static targets and moving distractors, or static targets and static distractors. Participants searched for a specified animal type (snakes, spiders, cats, or doves) as quickly as possible. We replicated previous findings with static stimuli: snakes were detected faster and increased distraction, while spiders just increased distraction. However, contrary to our hypotheses, spider targets did not speed up responses, neither in the group of control nor in the group of spider-fearful participants. Interestingly, stimuli-specific effects were toned down, abolished, or even changed direction when motion was introduced. Also, we demonstrated that point-light stimuli were of similar efficiency as naturalistic videos, indicating that for testing effects of motion in visual search, “pure” motion stimuli might be sufficient. As we do show a substantial modulation of visual search phenomena by biological motion, we advocate for future studies to use moving stimuli, equivalent to our dynamic environment, to increase ecological validity.
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According to the predictive coding theory of psychosis, hallucinations and delusions are explained by an overweighing of high-level prior expectations relative to sensory information that leads to false perceptions of meaningful signals. However, it is currently unclear whether the hypothesized overweighing of priors (1) represents a pervasive alteration that extends to the visual modality and (2) takes already effect at early automatic processing stages. Here, we addressed these questions by studying visual perception of socially meaningful stimuli in healthy individuals with varying degrees of psychosis proneness (n = 39). In a first task, we quantified participants’ prior for detecting faces in visual noise using a Bayesian decision model. In a second task, we measured participants’ prior for detecting direct gaze stimuli that were rendered invisible by continuous flash suppression. We found that the prior for detecting faces in noise correlated with hallucination proneness (r = 0.50, p = 0.001, Bayes factor 1/20.1) as well as delusion proneness (r = 0.46, p = 0.003, BF 1/9.4). The prior for detecting invisible direct gaze was significantly associated with hallucination proneness (r = 0.43, p = 0.009, BF 1/3.8) but not conclusively with delusion proneness (r = 0.30, p = 0.079, BF 1.7). Our results provide evidence for the idea that overly strong high-level priors for automatically detecting socially meaningful stimuli might constitute a processing alteration in psychosis.
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How to model hallucinations in mice There has not been enough progress in our understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying psychosis. Studying psychotic disorders in animal models is difficult because the diagnosis relies on self-reported symptoms that can only be assessed in humans. Schmack et al. developed a paradigm to probe and rigorously measure experimentally controlled hallucinations in rodents (see the Perspective by Matamales). Using dopamine-sensor measurements and circuit and pharmacological manipulations, they demonstrated a brain circuit link between excessive dopamine and hallucination-like experience. This could potentially be useful as a translational model of common psychotic symptoms described in various psychiatric disorders. It may also help in the development of new therapeutic approaches based on anatomically selective modulation of dopamine function. Science , this issue p. eabf4740 ; see also p. 33
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