Task and Informational Constraints on Search Strategies: Testing the Idea of Convergence to Tolerant Regions

Abstract

The experiment reported was designed to investigate the interaction of information and force variability on the evolving search strategy, specifically testing the hypothesis of convergence to tolerant regions. Participants were required to produce proportional bimanual isometric force output over three days of practice, with no prespecified force target and where performance was more tolerant to force variability at higher forces. The duration of intermittent visual feedback was manipulated to test the effects of information and force variability on the search process and the resulting sensitivity to tolerant regions of the task space. The findings showed that just under half of the participants exploited more tolerant regions and that this was predicted by the initial force conditions. Different characterizations of the individual search patterns were also predicted by inherent force-dependent variability and initial force conditions. Visual intermittency feedback did not affect the time-dependent properties of the search process but did influence the within-trial variability. Our findings suggest that the attraction to tolerant regions needs to be considered within the interactions of the different categories of constraints on the search process.

Keywords:

• search strategies
• isometric force
• bimanual coordination
• motor learning

Disclosure Statement

No potential competing interest was reported by the author(s).

Consent to Participate

Informed consent was obtained from all participants.

Consent for Publication

Participants signed informed consent regarding publishing data.

Notes

1 Consider two situations where $f_1$ and f₂ equal 1N and 1N respectively in the first case and 10N and 10N in the second; in both cases Equation 1 is solved for T equal to 5: 5 = 1 / (0.2*1) = 1 / 0.2 – or – 5 = 10 / (0.2*10) = 10 / 2. This also exemplifies how this task is redundant across force.

2 Post-test (same procedures as pre-test) and transfer (common visual intermittency condition, on the last day of practice) data were collected but were not considered for analysis here.