On Some Possible Characteristics of Information in J. J. Gibson’s Ecological Approach to Visual Perception

The author discusses some possible characteristics of information as the term information is used in J. J. Gibson’s ecological approach to visual perception. He points out that the digital computer model should be rejected in favour of the analogue model for operation of the human nervous system and the classical information theory of communications systems in favour of Gibson’s resonance hypothesis. However, he believes that in order to uphold the resonance hypothesis it is necessary to make use of the concept of sensations, which Gibson rejected.

He concludes by stating that it is by reference to the instants of perception given by attention to the sensations that accompany perception that one is brought close to achieving a description of what perception is like.