Attentional load associated with performing and stabilizing preferred bimanual patterns

Author(s): Zanone, P. G., Monno, A., Laurent, M.

Journal/Book: J Exp Psychol Hum Percep Perf. 1999; 25: 750 First St NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242, USA. Amer Psychological Assoc. 1579-1594.

Abstract: This study aimed to determine whether the stability of preferred coordination patterns could be modified intentionally and whether such stabilization involved an additional attentional load. Eight participants performed in-phase and anti-phase bimanual coordination patterns, a reaction time (RT) task, and several dual tasks (coordination + RT) that manipulated attentional priority by requiring either shared attention, priority to the coordination task, or priority to the RT task. Results showed that RT was smaller for in-phase than anti-phase. Moreover, attentional manipulations led to a trade-off between pattern stability and RT performance. This suggests that performing and intentionally stabilizing a coordination pattern incur a central cost that depends on the coordination pattern's dynamic properties. Thus, this study opens a conceptual and methodological bridge between information processing and dynamic approaches to coordination.

Note: Article Temprado JJ, Univ Mediterranean, UMR Movement & Percept 6559, 163 Ave Luminy, Case Postale 910, F-13009 Marseille, FRANCE

Keyword(s): ORGANIZED COORDINATION DYNAMICS; TIME-SHARING PERFORMANCE; PHASE-TRANSITIONS; INTERLIMB COORDINATION; RHYTHMICAL MOVEMENTS; OUTCOME CONFLICT; TASK; CONSTRAINTS; INTERFERENCE; HANDEDNESS

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