Binary Choice Reaction Time as a Function of the Relationship between Durations and Forms of Responses

Abstract

In a choice between responding with the left or right hand, some kinds of differences between the movements increase RT (Reaction Time) while others do not. Of the first kind are differences in form, while differences in the finger used are of the latter kind. In previous experiments differences in form were confounded with differences in duration. Since there is some indication that a difference in duration is sufficient to lengthen RT, both characteristics were varied separately. It turned out that a difference in form (duration being constant) has essentially the same effects as a difference in duration (form being constant): Mean RT is longer, variability of RT and MT (movement time) is larger, and frequency of choice errors is smaller than in choice between identical movements. These effects, which seem to be associated with choice between movements of different temporal patterns, are interpreted in terms of advance specification of movement parameters. Additional results on the relationship between response duration and RT suggest that RT does not depend on duration (or velocity) per se, but on how much the duration deviates from quickest performance.

Motor processes in simple, go/no-go, and choice reaction time tasks: A psychophysiological analysis.

“…This result hints at a motor-preparation process that prepares for an expected response but that does not modulate the type or degree of preparation in light of the potential alternative responses. It is intriguing to consider this conclusion in connection with previous evidence that the RT for a given response is larger when the alternative responses are less similar to it, a pattern generally referred to as a response-response compatibility effect (e.g., Heuer, 1982Heuer, , 1984Kornblum, 1965;Rosenbaum, 1987). According to one account, such effects arise because of differences in advance preparation.…”

Accommodation to Increased Accuracy Demands by the Right and Left Hands

“…For example, there is converging evidence from both paradigms that timing of responses is controlled jointly for both hands (see Heuer, 1984a). Such convergence is of great theoretical advantage in alleviating the problem of circularity that, for example, exists for a lot of studies on the relationship between RT and movement complexity in the framework of Henry & Roger's (1960) memory-drum theory.…”

“…Under different conditions, the movements to be performed with either hand may be the same or different. As compared to RT for choice between identical responses, RT for choice between different responses should be increased if they differ in a characteristic that is controlled jointly for both hands (Heuer, 1984a). The reason is that, in this case, simultaneous programming of both responses in advance of the imperative signal would be impossible or at least impaired.…”

Modularização e processo adaptativo na aquisição de habiliades motoras

“…Muitos estudos tern dado sustenta9ao as predi9oes da ideia de programa motor generalizado a partir da identifica9ao de aspectos invariantes de varias habilidades (TERZUOLO & VIYIANI, 1979;VIVIAN1 & TERZUOLO, 1980;SUMMERS, 1975;MANGEL, 1992;CARTER & SHAPIRO, 1984;MEYER, SMITH & WRIGHT, 1982;SHAPIRO, ZERNICKE, GREGOR & DIESTEL, 1981;HEUER, 1984). SUMMERS (1989), porem, chama a aten9ao para algumas Iimita9oes com respeito aos aspectos invariantes, por exemplo, quanto ao tipo de tarefa (unidirecional ou multidirecional), demandas especificas da tarefa (movimentos ritmicos ou de apontar) e com rela9ao as fases de aprendizagem.…”