Author:

Keywords:

Adult, Female, Hand, Humans, Learning, Male, Models, Biological, Movement, Random Allocation, Space Perception, Spatial Behavior, Science & Technology, Social Sciences, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Neurosciences, Psychology, Psychology, Experimental, Sport Sciences, Neurosciences & Neurology, acquisition, interlimb coordination, motor learning, part- versus whole-task practice, spatial interference, RELATIVE EFFICIENCY, TASK COMPLEXITY, ARM MOVEMENTS, PART, COORDINATION, CONSTRAINTS, DIRECTION, PERFORMANCE, ORGANIZATION, DISSOCIATION, 1106 Human Movement and Sports Sciences, 1702 Cognitive Sciences, Experimental Psychology, 31 Biological sciences, 32 Biomedical and clinical sciences, 52 Psychology

Abstract:

The authors investigated whether training can reduce bimanual directional interference by using a star-line drawing paradigm. Participants (N = 30) were required to perform rhythmical arm movements with identical temporal but differing directional demands. Moreover, the effectiveness of part-task training in which each movement was practiced in isolation was compared with that of whole-task training in which only combined movements were performed. Findings revealed that bimanual training substantially reduced spatial interference, but unimanual training did not. The authors therefore concluded that the spatial coupling of the limbs is not implemented in a rigid way; instead, the underlying neural correlate can undergo plastic changes induced by training. Moreover, the practical implication that emerged from the present study is that athletic, musical, or ergonomic skills that require a high degree of interlimb coordination are best served by whole-task practice.