The synchronization of human arm movements to external events.
Previous research revealed the existence of coupling mechanisms (e.g. iso-directionality) at the level of perception and action. The present experiment investigated how the strength of the perception-action coupling affected synchronization performance. Arm movements were to be synchronized with a moving light that traveled back and forth from the left to the right side of a runway. Four experimental conditions were administered representing the orthogonal combination of two viewing conditions (intermittent vs. continuous) and two synchronization modes (in-phase, i.e. arm moving in the same direction as the light vs. anti-phase, i.e. arm moving in the opposite direction). Performance outcome measures, movement kinematics, and relative phase were used to examine the data. The results revealed a better synchronization performance when the arm and light traveled in the same direction (iso-directionality) during the continuous viewing condition. Apparently, the strength of the perception-action coupling has a severe impact on the quality of the synchronization of an arm movement to an external event.
Buekers
M J
MJ
Department of Kinesiology, FLOK Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Tervuursevest 101, 3001 Leuven, Heverlee, Belgium. martinus.buekers@flok.kuleuven.ac.be
Bogaerts
H P
HP
Swinnen
S P
SP
Helsen
W F
WF
D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013997:Time Factors