Affordances are defined as possibilities for actions we may potentially perform in our environment. It is our perception to decide between all possible actions the surroundings allow.
Actions potentiality is motor feasibility in which the context reveals the actions to be performed. It is the complementarity of the environment’s physical properties and our perception. We perceive the environment possibilities for action on the basis of what we are physical and psychologically capable of doing (Gibson, 1952). To this author, the mountain’s space and objects are perceived in relation to their affording action’s potential.
In skiing, a slope would be perceived as ‘skiable’ for skiers with a certain level and other slopes would be not. This theory constitutes a basic principle understood as opportunities offered by the environment. It unifies our perception of the environment’s physical properties with our action possibilities these properties offer, being interpreted as incentives to act.
Applications of the affordances
When we observe the environment not only observe its characteristics but also the possibilities for action it allows. Snow properties or slope tilt are perceived not only by their structure, hardness, or difficulty but also by the possibility they offer for sliding, turning, jumping, accelerating, or stopping.
To reach an efficient way of skiing, we must be capable of perceiving different action possibilities since our intention to perform them depends on those possibilities. Our cognitive representation of potential actions is decisive in selecting and orientating future actions. Once we realized the possibility of executing an action, we should resolve two central problems at the same time: ‘what to do’ to determine the action mode and ‘how to do it’ to determine action regulation.
As affordances are interactive links between us and the environment, we perceive them as references used to evaluate actions’ feasibility according to our intentions and the environment characteristics as snow firmness, slope inclination, terrain irregularity, snow friction, or surface texture. These possibilities are taken as action proposals: the environment ‘suggests’ all available actions. The perceived properties will allow us to decide which actions will be executed. For example, we perceive affordances at a trail crossing allowing directly crossing or we may perceive that traffic situation prevents to cross by modifying our trajectory or motion speed.
We do not only perceive objects properties (snow texture, ground surface, slope configuration) but also the performing possibilities according to those objects’ affordances. It is not the amount of snow that matters to us or how wide or inclined a slope is but what we can do with those features.
Action potentials are characterized by what snow and terrain mean or, said in another way, by the practical value related to previous experiences we immediately associate with possible actions. The beginner merely perceives terrain characteristics while the expert skier perceives further action opportunities offered by a particular area.
Objects in the environment have a controlling function of our actions. These objects would have an action mental representation to facilitate its implementation so the mountain could be exploited.
Affordances relate also to action planning since, during descent planning, we must deliberate what does the terrain, slope, snow, or traffic conditions allow to select then which parts of the slope choosing or avoiding, where to turn and where not to.
If we apply the Affordance theory, we assess not only the mountain particularities as height, amplitude, distance, inclination, texture, or terrain relief in physical units but would also do it in relation to our own characteristics of weight, height, technical level, and psychophysical condition.
Perceiving affordances
For Gibson, affordances are perceived directly and do not require internal processes. This direct perception would be possible because of the environment information we visually perceive and can thus determine affordances availability. For this author, there is reciprocity between the performer and his environment, forming a constant combination.
Affordances are individually perceived by each of us, interpreting a particular meaning of the environment offerings, evaluating the ‘skiability’ of certain slope or snow type. Affordances may not be perceived or wrongly perceived, as snow surfaces may be recognized as firm but not supporting our own weight so we sink in it. Also, we should recognize equipment affordances, i.e., our skis’ action possibilities according to their geometric and mechanical characteristics.
Perception is based on our corporeal and mental properties information since we would perceive environmental features in relation to ourselves, directly perceiving snow and terrain utility and their practical meaning to determine what is convenient of doing.
To perceive a slope is to perceive the actions we can perform on it and how it can be done. Perceiving affordances could be considered as ‘invitations’ to act, it is perceiving utilities and possibilities but these are independent of perceiving since we may or may not perceive them.
