ABSTRACT
An alternative metaphor of the mind is the neural metaphor. In this metaphor, the mind is composed of neurons that must learn to execute motor and, subsequently, conceptual acts. To execute any one simple act, a considerable amount of parallel processing and coordination must occur. In this metaphor, perception is the act of isolating and assigning meaning to the neural activation that was responsible for the execution of motor and conceptual acts. As the individual develops a larger array of motor and cognitive abilities, perceptual processes are used to (1) identify patterns of neural stimulation that are useful for goal achievement and (2) identify the di erentiating characteristics of neural activation that lead to unexpected, but relevant outcomes. In this type of model, systems for initiating motor acts, representing sequences of neural activation, and assigning the cognitive concepts to these sequences, are all related through their overlapping neural activation. If perception is a consequence of the selection of a neural array, then the goal of perceptual research should be to discover how meaning is created at any given moment, how meaning motivates behavior, and how verbal, motor, and a ective responses interact owing to their common source of initiation (i.e., perception).
