Issue 5
Vol. 43
2001

W. Spijkers, H. Heuer, T. Kleinsorge, H. van der Loo
Reduction of intermanual dependencies during training of simultaneous movements with different amplitudes

The effect of training on intermanual coupling during parameter specification of simultaneously performed lateral movements was examined. Subjects performed a series of bimanual reversal movements on two digitizing tablets. During the training-phase the left hand should produce constant long and the right hand alternating short-long amplitudes. In order to direct visual attention to the altermating hand sight on the left hand was prevented by means of an opaque screen. Aim of the training was to reduce intermanual coupling, that is, the reduction of involuntary amplitude modulation of the left hand elicited by the simultaneously voluntary alternating movement of the right hand. Cycle duration of the reversal movements was kept constant during a series. With regular transfer tests the effect of training both on the trained movement condition and on the other combinations of the experimental variables was studied. The following independ-ent, experimental variables were examined: 1. cycle duration of the reversal movements (600, 800 and 1200 ms), 2. the hand, which had to produce constant movements (left, right), and  3.  the hand, which was covered by the opaque screen (constant, alternating hand). Intermanual dependencies were consistently reduced by training, but did not fully disappear. The obtained training effect differentially transfered to the other test conditions.

Key words: bimanual coordination, intermanual coupling, motor learning, transfer, movement amplitude

Prof. Dr. W. Spijkers
Institut für Psychologie
Jägerstraße zw. 17 u. 19
D-52066 Aachen
e-mail: Will.spijkers@psych.rwth-aachen.de 

Prof. Dr. Herbert Heuer
Dr. Thomas Kleinsorge
Dr. Hanno van der Loo
Institut für Arbeitsphysiologie an der Universität Dortmund
Dortmund