Bimanual Circle Drawing during Secondary Task Loading

Motor Control ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 106-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffery J. Summers ◽  
Winston D. Byblow ◽  
Don F. Bysouth-Young ◽  
Andras Semjen
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Coordination Mode ◽  
Transition Frequency ◽  
Counting Task ◽  
Symmetrical Pattern ◽  
Asymmetrical Pattern ◽  
Movement Frequency ◽  
Coordination Patterns ◽  
Circle Drawing

Seven right-handed participants performed bimanual circling movements in either a symmetrical or an asymmetrical coordination mode. Movements were paced with an auditory metronome at predetermined frequencies corresponding to transition frequency, where asymmetrical patterns became unstable, or at two-thirds transition frequency, where both symmetrical and asymmetrical patterns were stable. The pacing tones were presented in either a high (1000 Hz) or low (500 Hz) pitch, and the percentage of high-pitched tones during a 20 s trial varied between 0% and 70%. Participants were instructed to count the number of high-pitched pacing tones that occurred during a trial of bimanual circling. Overall, the symmetrical pattern was more stable than the asymmetrical pattern at both frequencies. Errors on the tone-counting task were significantly higher during asymmetrical circling than symmetrical circling but only at the transition movement frequency. The results suggest that cognitive processes play a role in maintaining coordination patterns within regions of instability.

Aging, Attention, and Bimanual Coordination

2002 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 549-557 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy D. Lee ◽  
Laurie R. Wishart ◽  
Jason E. Murdoch
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Bimanual Coordination ◽  
Alternative Explanation ◽  
Digit Number ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Movement Frequency ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
Coordination Patterns

ABSTRACTAlthough aging is normally associated with declines in motor performance, recent evidence suggests that older adults suffer no loss in some measures of bimanual coordination relative to younger adults. Two hypotheses for this finding were compared in the present research. One hypothesis was based on the assumption that these coordination patterns are automatic and relatively impervious to the effects of aging. An alternative explanation is that older adults maintain this level of bimanual coordination at a cost of increased attention demand. These hypotheses were tested in an experiment in which bimanual coordination patterns (in-phase and anti-phase) were paced at two metronome frequencies (1 and 2 Hz), either alone or together, with serial performance of an attention-demanding task (adding 3s to a two-digit number at a 1 Hz pace). The results of the study provided some support for both hypotheses. The automaticity view was supported only for the coordination patterns at the 1 Hz metronome frequency. Support for an attention allocation hypothesis was shown in the observed-movement frequency data, as older adults tended to sacrifice movement frequency at the 2 Hz metronome pace in order to maintain performance in the movement and counting tasks. These findings are discussed relative to recent accounts of the role of automaticity in the absence of age-related differences in the performance of cognitive tasks.

Discriminating Between Task-Relevant and Task-Irrelevant Stimuli

2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 191-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
David L. Neumann ◽  
Ottmar V. Lipp ◽  
David A.T. Siddle
Keyword(s):  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Mental Representation ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Stimulus Input ◽  
Probe Position ◽  
Counting Task ◽  
Close Relationship ◽  
Task Irrelevant ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
And Task

Abstract The effect that the difficulty of the discrimination between task-relevant and task-irrelevant stimuli has on the relationship between skin conductance orienting and secondary task reaction time (RT) was examined. Participants (N = 72) counted the number of longer-than-usual presentations of one shape (task-relevant) and ignored presentations of another shape (task-irrelevant). The difficulty of discriminating between the two shapes varied across three groups (low, medium, and high difficulty). Simultaneous with the primary counting task, participants performed a secondary RT task to acoustic probes presented 50, 150, and 2000 ms following shape onset. Skin conductance orienting was larger, and secondary RT at the 2000 ms probe position was slower during task-relevant shapes than during task-irrelevant shapes in the low-difficulty group. This difference declined as the discrimination difficulty was increased, such that there was no difference in the high-difficulty group. Secondary RT was slower during task-irrelevant shapes than during task-relevant shapes only in the medium-difficulty group - and only at the 150 ms probe position in the first half of the experiment. The close relationship between autonomic orienting and secondary RT at the 2000 ms probe position suggests that orienting reflects the resource allocation that results from the number of matching features between a stimulus input and a mental representation primed as significant.

The Dynamics of Bimanual Circle Drawing

1997 ◽  
Vol 50 (3) ◽  
pp. 664-683 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard G. Carson ◽  
Julie Thomas ◽  
Jeffery J. Summers ◽  
Megan R. Walters ◽  
Andras Semjen
Keyword(s):  
Target Pattern ◽  
Left Hand ◽  
Movement Trajectories ◽  
Drawing Task ◽  
Manual Asymmetries ◽  
Movement Frequency ◽  
Mirror Mode ◽  
Asymmetrical Mode ◽  
Mode Of Coordination ◽  
Circle Drawing

A bimanual circle drawing task was employed to elucidate the dynamics of intralimb and interlimb coordination. Right-handed subjects were required to produce circles with both hands in either a symmetrical (mirror) mode (i.e. one hand moving clockwise, the other counter-clockwise) or in an asymmetrical mode (i.e. both hands moving clockwise or counter-clockwise). The frequency of movement was scaled by an auditory metronome from 1.50 Hz to 3.25 Hz in8 (8-sec) steps. In the asymmetrical mode, distortions ofthe movement trajectories, transient departures from the target pattern of coordination, and phase wandering were evident as movement frequency was increased. These features suggested loss of stability. Deviations from circular trajectories were most prominent for movements of the left hand. Transient departures from the required mode of coordination were also largely precipitated by the left hand. The results are discussed with reference to manual asymmetries and mechanisms of interlimb and intersegmental coordination.

Effects of Learning and Movement Frequency on Polyrhythmic Tapping Performance

2000 ◽  
Vol 90 (2) ◽  
pp. 675-690 ◽  
Author(s):  
Makoto Tajima ◽  
Koji Choshi
Keyword(s):  
High Frequency ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Bimanual Coordination ◽  
Low Frequencies ◽  
Movement Frequency ◽  
Coordination Patterns

This study examined the effect of learning a complex bimanual coordination task at different movement frequencies. 30 subjects performed 5:3 polyrhythmic tapping at either high, medium, or low movement frequency on a rhythmic synchronization task and then reproduced the polyrhythmic pattern repeatedly in the spontaneous task. Analysis showed that practice on the synchronization task qualitatively changed correct responses into anticipatory ones. The synchronization learning of the polyrhythm caused the anticipatory responses and so, may involve memorization of serial positions within the polyrhythm. Also, more anticipatory responses were indicated in performance at the medium and low frequencies than at the high frequency on the synchronization task. In addition, deviations of taps from expected tapping positions were observed in performance of the spontaneous task at the high frequency. These results suggest that the movement frequency qualitatively influenced the learning of this bimanual coordination. Especially at the high frequency, frequent shifts to other coordination patterns occurred on the spontaneous task. This means that the performance at higher frequency is more strongly affected by entrainment between the two hands.

Bimanual Coordination Preferences in Adults with Down Syndrome

2005 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon D. Ringenbach ◽  
Dawn A. Lantero
Keyword(s):  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Developmental Differences ◽  
Attentional Resources ◽  
Mental Age ◽  
Comparison Groups ◽  
Phase Coordination ◽  
Matched Comparison ◽  
Coordination Patterns ◽  
Circle Drawing ◽  
Do So

This study examined the influences of intention on continuous bimanual circle drawing performed by adults with Down syndrome (DS) and mental age (MA) and chronological age (CA) matched comparison groups. The task was performed with preferred and instructed coordination patterns paced by a 500 ms metronome. While all participants adopted an in-phase coordination mode in the preferred conditions, only the adults with DS were unable to perform in-phase coordination when instructed to do so. We suggest that intention to perform specific coordination patterns taxes the attentional resources available, and mental age may be a precipitating factor to appropriate attention directing when performing multiple tasks. Results are discussed with respect to the developmental differences in attentional resources.

The Interaction of Tactile Information and Movement Amplitude in a Multijoint Bimanual Circle-Tracing Task: Phase Transitions and Loss of Stability

2005 ◽  
Vol 58 (5) ◽  
pp. 769-787 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Buchanan ◽  
Young U. Ryu
Keyword(s):  
Adaptive Response ◽  
Bimanual Coordination ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Adaptive Behaviour ◽  
Loss Of Stability ◽  
Movement Amplitude ◽  
Tactile Information ◽  
Movement Frequency ◽  
Response Enhancement ◽  
Coordination Patterns

Adaptive behaviour in bimanual coordination was examined with the use of a bimanual circle-tracing task. Circle diameter and tactile information were manipulated to form four tracing conditions: tracing a pair of 3-cm diameter circles with the tips of the index fingers (3F) or hand-held styli (3S) and tracing a pair of 10-cm diameter circles with the tips of the index fingers (10F) or hand-held styli (10S). Movement frequency was increased in all conditions. In the 3F, 3S, and 10S tracing conditions, an abrupt transition from asymmetric to symmetric coordination was the main adaptive response, while in the 10F tracing condition, phase wandering was the main adaptive response. Enhancement of fluctuations in relative phase, a signature of loss of stability, occurred before the transition from asymmetric to symmetric coordination. Movement frequency and movement amplitude interact as control parameters in this task. The results are discussed with reference to tactile surface contact and joint motion as sources of sensory information that can be used to stabilize bimanual coordination patterns. The presence or absence of tactile information is directly linked to the specific form of adaptive behaviour (phase transition or phase wandering) that emerges as a function of required movement amplitude and required pacing frequency.

Use of Cognitive Capacity in Reading: Effects of Processing Information from Text for Immediate Recall and Retention

1980 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruce K. Britton
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Recall Test ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cognitive Capacity ◽  
Inspection Time ◽  
Delayed Recall ◽  
Immediate Recall ◽  
Cognitive Operations ◽  
Processing Information

In two experiments, subjects read short passages and then took recall tests on them. One group expected and received a delayed test on each passage, and the other group expected and received an immediate test. In the delayed test condition, the delay was one minute long and was filled with a distracting task. Use of cognitive capacity during reading of the passages was measured with a secondary task technique. Inspection time and learning were also measured. Results showed that more cognitive capacity was used when subjects expected a delayed test than when they expected an immediate test, but no more time was spent reading and no more was recalled. It was concluded that subjects engaged in additional cognitive operations when they expected a delayed recall test, and these operations used cognitive capacity and were carried out in parallel with the cognitive operations associated with the other cognitive processes in reading.

scholarly journals An inverse optimization approach to understand human acquisition of kinematic coordination in bimanual fine manipulation tasks

2020 ◽  
Vol 114 (1) ◽  
pp. 63-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kunpeng Yao ◽  
Aude Billard
Keyword(s):  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Inverse Optimization ◽  
Optimization Approach ◽  
Force Transmission ◽  
Optimal Force ◽  
Fine Manipulation ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Composition Structure ◽  
Coordination Patterns ◽  
Transmission Direction

AbstractTasks that require the cooperation of both hands and arms are common in human everyday life. Coordination helps to synchronize in space and temporally motion of the upper limbs. In fine bimanual tasks, coordination enables also to achieve higher degrees of precision that could be obtained from a single hand. We studied the acquisition of bimanual fine manipulation skills in watchmaking tasks, which require assembly of pieces at millimeter scale. It demands years of training. We contrasted motion kinematics performed by novice apprentices to those of professionals. Fifteen subjects, ten novices and five experts, participated in the study. We recorded force applied on the watch face and kinematics of fingers and arms. Results indicate that expert subjects wisely place their fingers on the tools to achieve higher dexterity. Compared to novices, experts also tend to align task-demanded force application with the optimal force transmission direction of the dominant arm. To understand the cognitive processes underpinning the different coordination patterns across experts and novice subjects, we followed the optimal control theoretical framework and hypothesize that the difference in task performances is caused by changes in the central nervous system’s optimal criteria. We formulated kinematic metrics to evaluate the coordination patterns and exploit inverse optimization approach to infer the optimal criteria. We interpret the human acquisition of novel coordination patterns as an alteration in the composition structure of the central nervous system’s optimal criteria accompanied by the learning process.

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