Using enactive robotics to think outside of the problem-solving box: How sensorimotor contingencies constrain the forms of emergent autononomous habits.
Front Neurorobot December 21, 2022 Matthew D. Egbert, Xabier E. Barandiaran
The work argues that enactive robotics, which models how organisms interact with their environment through sensorimotor contingencies, can help understand how autonomous habits emerge beyond simple problem-solving frameworks. It proposes that the constraints imposed by sensorimotor contingencies shape the forms these habits take, leading to behaviors that are not merely goal-directed but arise from the dynamic interaction between agent and environment. This perspective challenges traditional cognitive science views that focus solely on internal representations and problem-solving, offering a broader account of autonomous agency and learning.