The Perceptual Sense of Agency
Review of Philosophy and Psychology November 11, 2025 Gabriel Siegel
The sense of agency—the experience of predicting, initiating, or controlling actions—appears in perceptual consciousness. This paper proposes a novel account: the perceptual sense of agency (PSoA) is underpinned by self-monitoring processes that compare sensory predictions based on motor commands with actual sensory feedback, distinguishing self-caused from other-caused perceptual changes. The PSoA is not explained by specific contents represented in perceptual experience; instead, it is modeled as a type of intentional mode that perceivers bear to contents. The account is defended against objections and contrasted with alternative views.