title: An evaluation of the minimal constraining information during observation for movement reproduction.
abstract: An important question in the field of imitation is what information is used for movement reproduction. While it is argued that relative motion information is perceived and minimised, direct evidence is lacking. In this experiment relative motion was manipulated to convey a novel kicking action. Twenty-four adults were assigned to one of the three impoverished relative motion display groups showing only the TOE, FOOT or LEG. After practise with partial information, participants watched a full-body display and in a final condition performed the action with an additional context constraint (i.e., a ball). Movement kinematics were collected and difference scores between participants and the model were analysed. The groups did not differ in terms of knee-ankle coordination. For hip-knee, the TOE group performed more like the model than the FOOT and LEG group. When transferred to the full-body display, there were no significant improvements. End-point trajectory information can provide sufficient information to reproduce key characteristics of the movement form.
authors.affiliation: School of Human Kinetics, War Memorial Gym, University of British Columbia, 210-6081 University Boulevard, Vancover, BC, Canada V6T 1Z1. nicola.hodges@ubc.ca
authors.forename: Nicola J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Hodges
authors.forename: Spencer J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hayes
authors.forename: Gavin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Breslin
authors.forename: A Mark
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Williams
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009048:Motor Skills; D009068:Movement; D014796:Visual Perception