Motivation in action and perception

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According to the ideo-motor principle actions can be evoked through the endogenous or exogenous activation of associated action-effect representations. Within this scope, the preceding acquisition of a bi-directional link between actions and their sensory consequences can be regarded as a prerequisite for action control. The present work extends this perspective by suggesting that the establishment of action-perception links through contingency learning is significantly affected by motivational compatibility. Empirical evidence is presented for an increased action-triggering potential of primed action-effect representations in case of a congruency between their valence and the motivational orientation of associated actions.