Shaun Gallagher - Interaction Theory

Interaction Theory

For Gallagher's interaction theory (IT) the minds of others are understood primarily through our interactive relations. IT supports the notion of the direct perception of the other's intentions and emotions during intersubjective encounters. Gallagher argues that most of what we need for our understanding of others is based on our interactions and perceptions, and that very little mindreading (mentalizing) occurs or is required in our day-to-day interactions. Rather than first perceiving another’s actions and then inferring the meaning of their actions (as in theory theory), the intended meaning is apparent to perception. Mental states (like intentions) are not hidden away from view, but are apparent in the action movements that constitute them. We can see the meaning of another's behavior through their actions and expressive movements. For example, upon seeing an angry face an observer does not see first a face that is contorted into a scowl and then infer that the target is angry. The anger is immediately apparent on the face of the other. The overwhelming majority of interactions in our daily lives are face-to-face so it makes sense that our primary way of understanding one another is from a second-person perspective rather than a detached, theoretical, third-person perspective.

"In most intersubjective situations, that is, in situations of social interaction, we have a direct perceptual understanding of another person’s intentions because their intentions are explicitly expressed in their embodied actions and their expressive behaviors. This understanding does not require us to postulate or infer a belief or a desire hidden away in the other person’s mind. What we might reflectively or abstractly call their belief or desire is expressed directly in their actions and behaviors."

This ability has been termed “primary intersubjectivity” and includes emotional, sensory-motor, perceptual, and nonconceptual embodied practices that are exhibited by pre-linguistic children. It is considered “primary” for two reasons: (1) Ontogenetically it is the earliest appearing intersubjective abilities in children, and (2) even into adulthood it remains the most essential ability that we utilize in interacting and understanding others. These abilities are multimodal and nonconceptual which is evidenced in the well-known experiments regarding neonate imitation. In these experiments the neonate is only minutes old and therefore does not have conceptual abilities; yet the neonate can imitate the facial expressions of others, which is a multimodal process that requires a nonconceptual connection between visual stimulus and the neonates own facial configuration.

Furthermore, the fact that most interactions take place in cooperative contexts leads to what is called “secondary intersubjectivity”. During most interactions, intentions are apparent based upon the pragmatic context of the situation in which they are occurring. We can instantly see what the other “intends” or “wants” based upon their actions and the current context; we do not need to infer their intentions as if they are hidden away. There is a “shared world” that we live in where we intuitively and instinctively perceive others as minded beings like ourselves. Dan Zahavi echoed these sentiments when he wrote, “it is not the case that we first see inanimate objects and then animate them through a subsequent addition of mental components. Rather, at first we see everything as expressive, and then we go through a process of de-animation.

The intuitive assumption that others are minded is an apparent tendency we all share. We anthropomorphize non-human animals, inanimate objects, and even natural phenomenon. Daniel Dennett referred to this tendency as taking an “intentional stance” toward things where we assume they have intentions in order to aid in the prediction of future behavior. However, there is an important distinction between taking an “intentional stance” toward something and entering a “shared world” with it. The intentional stance is a detached and functional theory we resort to during interpersonal interactions. A shared world is directly perceived and its existence structures reality itself for the perceiver. It is not just automatically applied to perception; it in many ways constitutes perception.