title: Compatibility relationships with simple lever tools.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The study focuses on potential compatibility relationships when simple lever tools are used.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Spatial compatibility between stimuli and responses determines performance. However, many tasks require the use of simple tools, such as levers that transform hand movements into tool movements. We explore with such a tool whether and how the correspondence or noncorrespondence between stimulus-side and hand movement (stimulus-response compatibility), between stimulus-side and tool-effect movement (stimulus-effect compatibility), and/or between hand movement and tool-effect movement (response-effect compatibility) affects performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  U-shaped and inverted-U-shaped levers were used as tools,allowing us to examine the contribution of each compatibility relationship to response times and errors without any confounds and omissions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Responding was delayed and error prone when the hand movement and the movement of the effect point of the tool did not correspond. Effects of stimulus-response compatibility and stimulus-effect compatibility were observed only when the hand movement direction remained untransformed in the tool-effect movement
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results point out that the inversion or noninversion of tool-effect movements plays an underlying role when handling a tool.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Potential applications of this research include the prediction and possibly manipulation of unwanted behavioral tendencies in laparoscopic surgery and other lever movements.
authors: RWTH Aachen University, Jägerstr. 17-19, 52056 Aachen, Germany. muesseler@psych.rwth-aachen.de
authors: Jochen
authors: J
authors: Müsseler
authors: Eva-Maria
authors: EM
authors: Skottke
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006225:Hand / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology*; D013525:Surgical Instruments; D055815:Young Adult