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The end-state comfort effect in bimanual grip selection
Mark G Fischman1, David F Stodden, Davana M Lehman
1Department of Health and Human Performance, Auburn University, AL 36849-5323, USA. fischmg@auburn.edu
Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport
|March 28, 2003
Summary
People choose grips for comfort, even in bimanual tasks. This study shows arm comfort influences grip selection for both hands, supporting models of movement planning.
Area of Science:
- Motor control
- Human movement science
- Cognitive neuroscience
Background:
- The end-state comfort effect influences unimanual grip selection based on perceived arm comfort.
- This effect has been primarily studied in single-hand tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the end-state comfort effect in bimanual grip selection tasks.
- To examine how arm comfort influences simultaneous grip choices with both hands.
Main Methods:
- Participants performed bimanual tasks, simultaneously picking up and placing dowels at various heights.
- Grip selection (overhand vs. underhand) was recorded for both left and right hands.
- Experiments varied target presentation order (ascending/descending vs. random).
Main Results:
- Grip selection was generally consistent with end-state comfort predictions.
- For extreme target heights, participants often chose opposite grips between their hands.
- Results held true regardless of target presentation order.
Conclusions:
- The end-state comfort effect extends to bimanual tasks.
- Findings support posture-based motion planning models and constraint hierarchies in movement control.