Transformation of the intended direction of movement during continuous motor trajectories.
Chronometric and neurophysiological studies have demonstrated that mentally transforming the intended direction of a pointing movement is a time-consuming process, the duration of which increases with the angle of rotation. If the same time-consuming process occurred while tracing a curved trajectory, it would affect the time course of the movement. The data from subjects drawing simple figures match well the predictions made, and support the hypothesis that a time-consuming process of transformation of the intended movement direction operates during the production of continuous trajectories. This biologically inspired hypothesis provides a functional explanation for the relation between speed of the movement and curvature of the path. In addition, it contrasts with the view of continuous movements as essentially oscillatory motions.
Pellizzer
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Brain Sciences Center, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN 55417, USA.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009039:Motion Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012399:Rotation; D013997:Time Factors; D015348:Vision, Binocular