Absolute Coordination: An Ecological Perspective§

The ecological perspective on the coordination of movement is discussed with regard to the most basic, pervasive form of coordination, namely, absolute coordination. The working hypothesis of the ecological perspective is that coordinations are largely due to general laws and principles. Dynamical explanations of phenomena such as von Hoist's magnet effect and maintenance tendency, as well as locomotory time allometries of both large and small organisms, are reviewed. The role of information in the functioning of dynamically based action systems is discussed, where information is understood in the Gibsonian (1979) specificational sense.

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