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Behavioral Assessment of Hearing in 2 to 4 Year-old Children: A Two-interval, Observer-based Procedure Using Conditioned Play-based Responses
Published on: January 23, 2017
The planning and execution of short auditory sequences.
1Department of Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Stephanstrasse 1a, D-04103 Leipzig, Germany. keller@cbs.mpg.de
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|January 5, 2007
Summary
Response-effect compatibility (REC) improved the execution of sequential musical actions, even before auditory feedback was received. This suggests that anticipating action outcomes influences precise movement timing.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Music Cognition
Background:
- Response-effect compatibility (REC) typically speeds action planning, not execution, in rapid tasks.
- The influence of REC on the execution of temporally regular, music-like sequences is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether REC affects the execution of sequential actions requiring temporal regularity.
- To determine if REC's influence extends to action execution independent of auditory feedback.
Main Methods:
- Musicians performed three-tap sequences in response to visual stimuli at a set tempo.
- Key-to-tone mappings were manipulated for compatibility (spatial/pitch height) or incompatibility.
- Tap timing accuracy was measured under compatible and incompatible mapping conditions.
Main Results:
- Tap timing accuracy was significantly higher with compatible key-to-tone mappings compared to incompatible ones.
- This accuracy improvement was observed for all taps (1, 2, and 3), including those before auditory feedback.
- The findings indicate REC influences action execution even without immediate sensory feedback.
Conclusions:
- Response-effect compatibility impacts the execution of temporally precise, sequential actions.
- Anticipation of action effects, not just sensory feedback, likely plays a role in planning dynamic, timed movements.
- This has implications for understanding motor control in music performance and other skilled sequential actions.
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