Perceptual control or action-selection? Comment on: a perceptual control theory of emotional action

ABSTRACT The Perceptual Control Theory of Emotional Action provides a compelling view of the synergy between action and perception in the context of emotion. In this invited response, we outline three suggestions to further clarify and concretesise the theory in the hope that it can provide a solid basis for the theoretical, empirical, and clinical fields of emotion and emotion regulation. First, we emphasise the importance of concretesising these ideas in a way that is biologically plausible and testable in terms of its neuronal implementation, which has not been addressed in the main manuscript. Secondly, we highlight the challenges for this account to effectively describe core symptoms in emotional disorders, an essential step if the theory aims to foster the development of better-tuned neurocognitively grounded interventions. Finally, we take a leap on what action-oriented accounts of emotion can mean for the field of emotion regulation.

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