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Updated: Jul 30, 2026

Methods to Explore the Influence of Top-down Visual Processes on Motor Behavior
Published on: April 16, 2014
Stabilization and destabilization of perception--action patterns influence the self-organized recruitment of degrees
Sarah Calvin1, Lorène Milliex, Thelma Coyle
1Faculté des Sciences du Sport, Université de la Méditerranée, Marseille, France. calvin@laps.univ-mrs.fr
Abstract:
The recruitment of an additional biomechanical degree of freedom in a unimanual rhythmic task was explored. Subjects were asked to synchronize adduction or abduction of their right index finger with a metronome, the frequency of which was increased systematically. In addition, haptic contact on or off the metronome beat was provided. Results showed that the pattern exhibiting the highest intrinsic stability recruited the vertical plane more than did the less stable one. Moreover, presence and location of haptic contact modulated coordination stability and therefore induced changes in the recruitment of the vertical plane. Thus, a trade-off was shown between coordination stability on the horizontal plane and recruitment of the vertical one. These findings suggest that recruitment of degrees of freedom is governed by general principles of coordination dynamics.
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