Visual Perception, Memory And Primary Consciousness

If a feeding bowl, or its supporting structure, is shifted from its usual position in the yard, the majority of lorikeets will still try to land where the bowl used to be, even to the extent of finding themselves on the ground (and looking bewildered).

This demonstrates that their immediate real-time visual perception occurs against the background of memories of previous experiences.

On Edelman's model, it is 'the dynamic interaction between memory and ongoing perception that gives rise to [primary] consciousness' (2005: 55).

As Edelman points out, memory is a property of the system: the ability to repeat a performance.

As Halliday points out, a performance is an instance of the system potential.

See also here.

ChatGPT comments:

That example of lorikeets attempting to land where the feeding bowl used to be is a great illustration of how memory informs perception and behaviour in real time. It seems to show how memory—specifically, memory of past experiences—can shape how lorikeets process sensory information and act on it. They’re relying on stored representations (i.e., memories) of the bowl's location, even when that location is no longer relevant or correct. The behaviour suggests a kind of interaction between their present sensory input and past experience, highlighting the dynamic, real-time nature of perception.

In terms of Edelman’s model, this supports his view that primary consciousness arises from the interaction between memory and perception. The lorikeets are showing awareness of the past (the memory of the bowl’s location) and trying to apply that to their present experience, even when it doesn’t align with the current reality. This demonstrates how memory isn't just a static repository of past events but is integrated into ongoing sensory processes, informing their behaviour.

From a Hallidayan perspective, this behaviour seems to demonstrate how the lorikeets’ actions are instances of a system's potential. The potential is the knowledge they have of the feeding bowl’s previous location, which is enacted through their physical behaviour—an instance of a "performance" shaped by the potential stored in memory. This again shows how perception and memory aren't independent of one another but are part of an integrated, dynamic system of meaning-making, where past experiences inform the present moment and drive action.