The role of auditory and visual models in the production of bimanual tapping patterns

Abstract

An experiment was designed to determine the effectiveness of auditory and visual models in the learning of a 2:3 bimanual tapping pattern. Participants were randomly assigned to an auditory model, visual model, auditory + visual model, or a control (visual metronome) group. The task for all groups was to tap a left side force transducer with the left hand and a right side force transducer with the right hand in attempt to produce the desired 2:3 bimanual coordination pattern. The auditory model consisted of a series of tones representing the goal pattern played prior to each practice trial. The visual model consisted of a visual display representing the goal tapping pattern. Visual pacing metronomes were provided to the control group. The right and left side metronomes flashed during the trial in a pattern representing the goal tapping pattern. Subjects in all groups performed 14 practice trials consisting of 15 s each devoted to tapping the goal pattern (total practice time = 3.5 min). A retention test without the aid of the models or metronomes was administered following the practice trials. The results for the model groups indicated extremely effective performance of the bimanual coordination patterns for the auditory, visual, and auditory + visual model conditions with not only the relative, but also the absolute characteristics of the models exhibited during retention testing. Retention performance for the visual metronome condition was less accurate and more variable than the three model conditions. In addition, the auditory + visual model condition resulted in retention performance that was more stable than the auditory model condition.

Perception and action influences on discrete and reciprocal bimanual coordination

“…When practice conditions are imposed that reduce these constraints, performers are able to Fig. 8 Example of the auditory-visual model (A) used in Kennedy et al (2013a). Note in this model the lines and tones appeared in temporal order from the bottom to the top during the pretrial interval.…”

“…Thus, the participant would try to rebuild the display and replay the tones presented during the pretrial period quickly and effectively perform the desired coordination pattern. In the tapping experiment by Kennedy et al (2013a) this was done by using visual and auditory models.…”

“…In the Buchanan and Wang (2012) study, it was argued that the shifting of the cursor from the Lissajous template required more attentional effort to be directed towards other intrinsic sources of information, in turn facilitating the development of a motor representation capable of sustaining performance when the Lissajous feedback was withdrawn. It should also be noted that the visual, auditory, and visual/auditory model techniques used by Kennedy et al (2013a) during acquisition were removed on the retention test. The result was that performance on the retention test with the model information was quite effective.…”

“…The result was that performance on the retention test with the model information was quite effective. It is also important to note that in the tapping experiment by Kennedy et al (2013a) where visual, auditory, and visual/auditory models were used, the model was presented prior to each trial but was not available during the production of the tapping task. This prompted the participant to build an internal representation of the task that could be used to detect and correct errors during the production of the task.…”

Transposing musical skill: sonification of movement as concurrent augmented feedback enhances learning in a bimanual task

“…Experiments using concurrent feedback in the auditory modality have shown that speed of acquisition can be enhanced using sound without impairing performance on subsequent no-feedback retention tests (Kennedy, Boyle, & Shea, 2013; Ronsse et al, 2011). Digitally transforming human movement data into sound (termed ‘sonification’ of movement) has long been practiced in the field of Sonic Arts as a method of musical expression (Hermann, Hunt, & Neuhoff, 2011; Medeiros & Wanderley, 2014).…”