Scaling Movement Amplitude: Adaptation of Timing and Amplitude Control in a Bimanual Task

ABSTRACT

Participants traced two circles simultaneously and the diameter of one circle was scaled as the diameter of the other circle remained constant. When the scaled circle was larger, amplitude error shifted from overshooting to undershooting, while shifting from undershooting to overshooting when this circle was smaller. Asymmetric coordination was unstable when the left arm traced a circle larger than the right arm, yet stable when the left arm traced a smaller circle. When producing symmetric coordination and the left arm traced the larger circle, relative phase shifted by 30°, but a right arm lead predominated. When the left arm traced the smaller circle and symmetric coordination was required, a 30° shift in relative phase occurred, but hand lead changed from left to right. The modulation of movement amplitude and relative phase emerged simultaneously as a result of neural crosstalk effects linked to initial amplitude conditions and possibly visual feedback of the hands’ motion.

Keywords:

• amplitude assimilation
• coordination dynamics
• neural crosstalk
• relative phase