Exploring the Concept of Affordances
By Jay Sternickle
Produced at Western Illinois University
Macomb, Illinois
This research paper examines psychologist James J. Gibson’s theory of affordances. This theory explains that humans perceive the world not only in terms of objects and spatial relationships but that humans can also perceive an object’s possibilities for action.
By Jay Sternickle
Produced at Western Illinois University
Macomb, Illinois
This research paper examines psychologist James J. Gibson’s theory of affordances. This theory explains that humans perceive the world not only in terms of objects and spatial relationships but that humans can also perceive an object’s possibilities for action.
Affordances are clues in the environment that point toward a possibility for action. Affordances are perceived directly and do not require any further sensory processing. Examples include: handles for pulling, buttons for pushing, and knobs for turning. Because perception of the environment can lead to a course of action; this means that perception alone can drive action.
Affordance theory has many implications for education, design, human-computer interaction, ergonomics, and visualization. This has special implications for Instructional Design because the theory would suggest that, “When affordances are taken advantage of, the user knows what to do just by looking: no picture, label, or instruction is needed," according to D.A. Norman.
Read the full text of this Research Paper. (CLICK HERE).
Affordance theory has many implications for education, design, human-computer interaction, ergonomics, and visualization. This has special implications for Instructional Design because the theory would suggest that, “When affordances are taken advantage of, the user knows what to do just by looking: no picture, label, or instruction is needed," according to D.A. Norman.
Read the full text of this Research Paper. (CLICK HERE).
