The early development of visual perception and its relation to action and cognition

The dramatic development of the visual system during the first half year of life is discussed in the context of action and cognition. Already at birth, the visual system is connected to various effector systems in a meaningful way, which makes it possible for experience to enter into the ontogenetic process to shape and to steer it. Two important sensorimotor developments are discussed: gaze control and eye-hand coordination. They turn the visual system into a sophisticated organ for exploration and manipulation, and the chapter outlines how this comes about.