The case for perceptual conflict

Cognitive conflict is a broad phenomenon ranging from classic stimulus-response incompatibility to moral dilemmas. Traditionally, cognitive control theories have focused on conflict detection and resolution as competition at the response level. Instead, the conflict between representations at the perceptual level has remained largely unexplored within this framework. Here, we call attention to the fact that perception itself necessarily involves conflict resolution. Is there a common ground to unify theories of cognitive conflict and control with the theories of perception? We propose that shifting the focus away from motor representations and considering conflict awareness could provide a new perspective for the integration of cognitive conflict across different levels of representation, including the case of perceptual conflict.