Prior intentions: evidence in favour of a motor theory

Abstract

Empirical studies on intention have so far focused on intention-in-action. Much less work has been done on prior intention. In this paper, we focus on the relation between pnor intention and action and the mechanisms underlying the representations of prior intention in the brain. The conventional view separates prior intention from action, assuming that the very same action may serve different prior intentions. Here, in contrast with this view, we discuss recent findings suggesting an involvement of the motor system in representing and understanding prior intentions. Bridging the gap between prior intentions and actions, these findings help us to understand how from the observation of another person's actions we can trace back to her pnor intention.