Functional equivalence for response programming of actually performing versus imagining movements.
The present study was conducted to test the hypothesis that response programming occurs when movements are only imagined. 12 subjects were required to react and produce the sequence of same or different force by squeezing a handle as quickly and accurately as possible after the two reaction signals which were separated by the interstimulus interval of 1 sec. The reaction time to initiate the second response was examined when the first response is covertly performed, but the second response is actually performed. The reaction times to initiate the second responses were significantly shorter for imagining and actually performing different movements or the control condition. There was no significant difference in reaction time between the conditions with the same movements. These findings were interpreted as evidence for functional equivalence for response programming of actually performing versus imagining movements.
Division of Living and Health Sciences, Joetsu University of Education, Japan. ito@juen.ac.jp
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D000328:Adult; D016552:Ergometry; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D005082:Physical Exertion / Q000502:physiology; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception