Temporal Distribution of Attention During a Throwing Motion

Abstract

A reaction-time measure of attention was employed during five segments of a simultaneous dart throw: premovement decision, immediately after recoil was begun, maximum recoil, immediately after forward movement was begun, and after release of the dart. Reaction time was significantly longer when the stimulus was presented during the first or second segment than during later segments. Reaction time during premovement was not consistently greater than that immediately after movement was begun, indicating that information is being sampled at a high rate after movement commences. It appears that monitoring of proprioceptive feedback after movement has begun, and initiation of corrective submovements, is necessary for skillful performance of dart throwing.