Feedback theory of how joint receptors regulate the timing and positioning of a limb.

Processes of skill performance: A foundation for the design and use of training equipment.

“…do not appear to fit a closed-loop model because there is not enough time to process negative feedback (Hammerton, 1981;Howarth & Beggs, 1981; however, see Adams, 1977).…”

“…Suppose that because of lack of dynamic fidelity, learners must IHowever, Adams (1977), holding out for a closed-loop model even for rapid actions, reviewed evidence that reaction times as brief as imsec might be common.…”

The role of proprioception in the perception and control of human movement: Toward a theoretical reassessment

“…It is quite obvious that the patients in this study compare favorably with their counterparts in our preliminary experiment; more important, they performed within normal ranges! This is a fascinating finding, particularly in light of the classical role given by most physiologists and psychologists to joint receptors in the perception of movement and position (e.g., Adams, 1977;Roland, 1978). That is, "classical" conceptions of kinesthesis are built upon the angular specificity viewpoint-a notion contrary to very Kelso, 1977;Kelso & Holt, 1980), takes advantage of the natural physical properties, such as damping, stiffness, and inertial resistance, that are inherent in neuromuscular control systems.…”

“…Finally, it behooves us to consider briefly the theoretical role that joint receptors may play in the control of movement, particularly in light of recent debates on the topic (e.g., Adams, 1977;Kelso, 1978). One possibility arises out of Grigg's (1976) work showing that a sizable proportion of afferents in cat medial articular nerve fire as a function of the degree of torque developed at a fixed joint position.…”

“…A unique opportunity thus arises for examining motor performance in the absence of the capsular component of peripheral receptor mechanisms. This is of particular significance, for recent theoretical papers and many critical reviews (Mountcastle, 1968;Roland, 1978) refer invariably to joint receptors as detectors of joint angle, and even as crucial to motor timing (Adams, 1977; but see also Kelso, 1978). Although Adams (1977) recognized the possibility that the "other senses," such as touch and muscle proprioception, may contribute to limb positioning, he nevertheless was adamant that "in an inconstant world, they must give way theoretically to joint receptors which always fire during movement and so are completely reliable sources of information" (p. 518).…”