Guest Lecture of Dr. Andreas Eder

Guest Lecture of Dr. Andreas Eder

from Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena

Date: 23.06.2010

Topic: Mechanisms of affective action control

Abstract: 

Purposeful action is directed towards attainment of positive outcomes and prevention of negative outcomes. Contemporary models typically explain this hedonic principle with basic motivational systems of approach and avoidance, but leave the architecture of these systems largely unexplained. In my talk I will close this gap with a new theoretical framework that is organized around the central idea of a bi-directional response-outcome association. I will argue that (i) affective action outcomes are automatically integrated into action representations, (ii) evaluations of anticipated action outcomes modulate the activation level of action representations, (iii) and that impulsive action tendencies emerge from interactions between stimulus-related and response-related features in a common-coding domain. The motivational architecture of affective stimulus and action representations and their dynamic interaction in action regulation are discussed.