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Updated: Jul 7, 2026
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Force and Position Control in Humans - The Role of Augmented Feedback
Published on: June 19, 2016
Emotional states alter force control during a feedback occluded motor task.
Stephen A Coombes1, Kelly M Gamble, James H Cauraugh
1Department of Applied Physiology and Kinesiology, University of Florida, P.O. Box 118205, 100 FLG, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA. scoombes@ufl.edu
Emotion (Washington, D.C.)
|February 13, 2008
Summary
Both pleasant and unpleasant emotions enhance force production during motor tasks without visual feedback. Emotional states similarly affect men and women, exciting the motor system.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Motor Control
- Affective Science
Background:
- Motor control research often focuses on sensory feedback.
- The influence of emotional states on motor control, particularly force production, is not fully understood.
- Previous studies suggest emotions can impact motor performance, but findings are inconsistent.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how pleasant and unpleasant emotional states affect force production in a motor task without visual feedback.
- To determine if emotional states alter force decay, variability, or structure.
- To examine potential sex differences in emotional modulation of motor control.
Main Methods:
- Participants performed a precision pinch grip task with visual feedback.
- Visual feedback was occluded for 5 seconds and replaced with neutral, pleasant, or unpleasant images.
- Measures included force amplitude, variability, and structure.
Main Results:
- Force production increased and force decay attenuated under pleasant and unpleasant emotional conditions compared to neutral.
- Emotional states did not alter force variability or structure.
- No significant sex differences were observed in force production or its modulation by emotion.
Conclusions:
- Both positive and negative emotional states enhance sustained force production when visual feedback is absent.
- Emotional arousal appears to excite the motor system, leading to greater force output.
- These findings suggest a general emotional influence on motor control, independent of valence or sex, for non-directional tasks.
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