Cognitive influence on motor control in reaching

Author(s): Hosokawa, T., Tanaka, A., Okuzumi, H.

Journal/Book: Percept Mot Skills. 1999; 89: PO Box 9229, Missoula, MT 59807, USA. Perceptual Motor Skills. 441-446.

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of objects with different attributes on motor control in the act of reaching for them. Much about reaching has been studied from the point of view of spatial relations between objects and subjects, and kinematic approaches have played an important role in this field. Recently, some researchers have proposed that factors other than spatial relations characterize teaching. Therefore, me focused on reaching for an empty glass (empty condition) and a water-filled glass (filled condition) where the positions of the glasses were the same to examine the importance of the objects when reaching for them. Eight young adults participated. We translated the position of the index finger into X-Y-Z coordinate values and examined movement rime, length of trajectory, and velocity between the empty and filled conditions. It rook longer to reach for an empty than a filled glass, and the filled condition showed a longer trajectory and slower velocity than the empty condition. This indicated that objects with different attributes influenced the reaching and that the role of cognition of attributes is important in the act of reaching.

Note: Article Ushiyama M, Tohoku Univ, Dept Educ Sci Handicapped, Fac Educ, Aoba Ku, Sendai, Miyagi 9808576, JAPAN

Keyword(s): ARM MOVEMENTS; HUMAN PREHENSION; OBJECT TEXTURE; MODEL

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