A goal-directed behavior, consisting of different movement components, that are carried out intentionally or under voluntary control. Thus, an action is goal-directed while a movement is not. An example is reaching and grasping movements in a prehensile action. Moreover, in action there are variable means to the same end state. Actually, two generally classes can be identified: exploratory (or investigative) actions and performatory (or executive) actions. Infants initially generate exploratory actions, perhaps by a process of trial-and-error learning, and from which emerge performatory actions. Thus, there is a developmental transition from only exploratory actions to both exploratory and performatory actions. The gist of the distinction between action and movement was nicely captured by D.W. Hamlyn in 1953, when he wrote: “With movements we are concerned with physical phenomena, the laws concerning which are in principle derivable from the laws of physics. But the behaviour which we call ‘posting a letter’ or ‘kicking a ball’ involves a very complex series of movements, and the same movements will not be exhibited on all occasions on which we should describe the behaviour in the same way. No fixed criteria can be laid down which will enable us to decide what series of movements shall constitute ‘posting a letter.’ Rather we have learnt to interpret a varying range of movements as coming up to the rough standard which we observe in acknowledging a correct description of such behaviour as posting a letter.” (Behaviour. Philosophy, 28, 134-135). Anton Chekov (1860-1904) captured another essence of the relationship between action and movement when he wrote the following in a letter to Maxim Gorky (1868-1936): “When a man spends the least possible of movements over the some definite action, that is grace.” (January 3, 1899).
See Ability, Action sequences, Action theory, Action words, Agentic processes, Constraint, Coordination, Developmental dyspraxia, Displacement activities, Exploration, Motor ability, Motor control, Motor development, Motor equivalence, Motor skill, Movement, Movement (or motor) coordination, Perception-action coupling, Praxis, Skill (general), Transition, Trial-and-error learning