Neuroscience
- Visual Feedback For Training Novel Coordinations
The key feature of coordinated rhythmic movements is that not all coordinations are stable. Most other rhythms can be learned, however, which is why we can have jazz drumming. People have been training participants to perform novel coordinations (especially...
- A Perception/action Model Of Coordination
Other coordination posts are here. The role of perception in the dynamic leading to the HKB phenomena has been made clear by the work so far. But the exact form of this dynamic had yet to be modelled; the HKB model only consists of two cosine functions...
- Establishing The Role Of Perception In Coordination: Proprioception And Action Measures
Other coordination posts are here. The dynamic pattern hypothesis had led to some predictions which, when tested, turned out not to be true. Instead, it seemed that the way in which we perceive relative phase (i.e. the coordination between two things)...
- Visual Perception Of Coordinated Rhythmic Movements
Other coordination posts are here. Fontaine et al (1997) and Wenderoth et al (2002) had empirically established that a key prediction of the dynamic pattern hypothesis was false: learning was easier closer to 0° than it was to 180°. The HKB attractor...
- Learning A Novel Coordination - The Dynamic Pattern Hypothesis
Other coordination posts are here. Recall this image:The HKB potential function, ~1HzThis basic layout is supposed to describe an intrinsic state of affairs, namely that only 0°and 180°are stable coordinations (+/- 180° are identical except for which...
Neuroscience
Learning a Novel Coordination; Things Get Interesting
Other coordination posts are here.
This will be a brief post to follow on from the last, in which I reviewed the early learning studies of Kelso & Zanone that led to the dynamic pattern hypothesis.
These original studies looked comprehensive and compelling. In 1994, Zanone and Kelso published a book chapter summarising the work so far and laying out the dynamic pattern approach. In it, they made a specific prediction:
Two papers tested this hypothesis.
Fontaine et al (1997) compared rates of learning and final performance for learning 45° vs. 135° (equal 'distance' in relative phase space from the two attractors). They also looked to see how this learning process affected the intrinsic dynamics; recall Z&K had observed a loss of stability at 180°.
The results were stark: people found 45° easier°, not harder to learn, and there was only a transient loss of stability at 180°.
Wenderoth et al (2002) then tested learning at distances of 36°, 60° and 90° from the two attractors at 0° and 180°. They again found the exact opposite of the predicted result; learning novel coordinations close to 0° is easier, not harder, than those close to 180°.
Wenderoth et al (2002) then referenced a second literature that had, until now, been running parallel to the movement literature; that of the visual perception of relative phase. This work, from the lab of my PhD advisor Geoff Bingham was premised on the fact that the HKB pattern persisted even when the limbs being coordinated belonged to two different people (Schmidt et al, 1990), and that relative phase might therefore be a perceptible property. This work, which I will review in more detail next time, was showing that visual perception data were also showing all the HKB effects - 0° was identified more reliably, than 180° and the region around it was readily discriminated (i.e. participants could distinguish relative phases close to 0°). 90° was, perceptually, judged to be intrinsically variable. Bingham was suggesting a perceptual basis for the movement phenomena, which actually predicts the results seen by Fontaine et al and Wenderoth et al; the latter explicitly make this connection.
References
Fontaine, R., Lee, T., & Swinnen, S. (1997). Learning a new bimanual coordination pattern: Reciprocal influences of intrinsic and to-be-learned patterns. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale, 51 (1), 1-9 DOI: 10.1037/1196-1961.51.1.1
Schmidt, R. C., Carello, C., & Turvey, M. T. (1990). Phase transitions and critical fluctuations in the visual coordination of rhythmic movements between people. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 16(2), 227-247. Download
Wenderoth N, Bock O, & Krohn R (2002). Learning a new bimanual coordination pattern is influenced by existing attractors. Motor control, 6 (2), 166-82 PMID: 12122225
Zanone, P.G., & Kelso, J.A.S. (1994). The coordination dynamics of learning: Theoretical structure and experimental agenda. In S.P. Swinnen, H. Heuer, J. Massion, & P. Casaer (Eds.), Interlimb coordination: Neural, dynamical, and cognitive constraints (pp. 461-490). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
This will be a brief post to follow on from the last, in which I reviewed the early learning studies of Kelso & Zanone that led to the dynamic pattern hypothesis.
These original studies looked comprehensive and compelling. In 1994, Zanone and Kelso published a book chapter summarising the work so far and laying out the dynamic pattern approach. In it, they made a specific prediction:
...learning rate should vary inversely with the stability of the closest intrinsic attractor to the required pattern.In other words, learning a novel coordination closer to 0° should be harder than learning one close to 180°, because the stronger attractor at 0° will interfere more with the learning process.Zanone & Kelso, 1994, pp 482
Two papers tested this hypothesis.
Fontaine et al (1997) compared rates of learning and final performance for learning 45° vs. 135° (equal 'distance' in relative phase space from the two attractors). They also looked to see how this learning process affected the intrinsic dynamics; recall Z&K had observed a loss of stability at 180°.
The results were stark: people found 45° easier°, not harder to learn, and there was only a transient loss of stability at 180°.
Wenderoth et al (2002) then tested learning at distances of 36°, 60° and 90° from the two attractors at 0° and 180°. They again found the exact opposite of the predicted result; learning novel coordinations close to 0° is easier, not harder, than those close to 180°.
Wenderoth et al (2002) then referenced a second literature that had, until now, been running parallel to the movement literature; that of the visual perception of relative phase. This work, from the lab of my PhD advisor Geoff Bingham was premised on the fact that the HKB pattern persisted even when the limbs being coordinated belonged to two different people (Schmidt et al, 1990), and that relative phase might therefore be a perceptible property. This work, which I will review in more detail next time, was showing that visual perception data were also showing all the HKB effects - 0° was identified more reliably, than 180° and the region around it was readily discriminated (i.e. participants could distinguish relative phases close to 0°). 90° was, perceptually, judged to be intrinsically variable. Bingham was suggesting a perceptual basis for the movement phenomena, which actually predicts the results seen by Fontaine et al and Wenderoth et al; the latter explicitly make this connection.
References
Fontaine, R., Lee, T., & Swinnen, S. (1997). Learning a new bimanual coordination pattern: Reciprocal influences of intrinsic and to-be-learned patterns. Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology/Revue canadienne de psychologie expérimentale, 51 (1), 1-9 DOI: 10.1037/1196-1961.51.1.1
Schmidt, R. C., Carello, C., & Turvey, M. T. (1990). Phase transitions and critical fluctuations in the visual coordination of rhythmic movements between people. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, 16(2), 227-247. Download
Wenderoth N, Bock O, & Krohn R (2002). Learning a new bimanual coordination pattern is influenced by existing attractors. Motor control, 6 (2), 166-82 PMID: 12122225
Zanone, P.G., & Kelso, J.A.S. (1994). The coordination dynamics of learning: Theoretical structure and experimental agenda. In S.P. Swinnen, H. Heuer, J. Massion, & P. Casaer (Eds.), Interlimb coordination: Neural, dynamical, and cognitive constraints (pp. 461-490). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
- Visual Feedback For Training Novel Coordinations
The key feature of coordinated rhythmic movements is that not all coordinations are stable. Most other rhythms can be learned, however, which is why we can have jazz drumming. People have been training participants to perform novel coordinations (especially...
- A Perception/action Model Of Coordination
Other coordination posts are here. The role of perception in the dynamic leading to the HKB phenomena has been made clear by the work so far. But the exact form of this dynamic had yet to be modelled; the HKB model only consists of two cosine functions...
- Establishing The Role Of Perception In Coordination: Proprioception And Action Measures
Other coordination posts are here. The dynamic pattern hypothesis had led to some predictions which, when tested, turned out not to be true. Instead, it seemed that the way in which we perceive relative phase (i.e. the coordination between two things)...
- Visual Perception Of Coordinated Rhythmic Movements
Other coordination posts are here. Fontaine et al (1997) and Wenderoth et al (2002) had empirically established that a key prediction of the dynamic pattern hypothesis was false: learning was easier closer to 0° than it was to 180°. The HKB attractor...
- Learning A Novel Coordination - The Dynamic Pattern Hypothesis
Other coordination posts are here. Recall this image:The HKB potential function, ~1HzThis basic layout is supposed to describe an intrinsic state of affairs, namely that only 0°and 180°are stable coordinations (+/- 180° are identical except for which...