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The persistence of spatial interference after extended training in a bimanual drawing task
Neil B Albert1, Richard B Ivry
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA. neil.albert@gmail.com
Summary
Extensive practice reduced bimanual interference in drawing non-symmetric shapes, but did not eliminate it. Generalization of skills to new patterns was incomplete, suggesting limitations in translating abstract goals into actions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Motor Control
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Bimanual coordination studies often examine interference in non-symmetric movements.
- Practice can improve motor skills, but its effect on independent hand control is debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how practice modulates interference in simultaneous non-symmetric three-sided square drawing.
- To determine if practice benefits generalize to untrained patterns or improve general independent hand control.
Main Methods:
- Participants practiced drawing eight of 16 possible non-symmetric three-sided square patterns for six days.
- Performance on trained and untrained patterns was assessed, including generalization to novel shapes and configurations.
Main Results:
- Significant reduction in inter-manual interference was observed with practice.
- Participants remained slower planning incongruent shapes than congruent ones.
- Generalization to untrained patterns was incomplete, with trained patterns showing benefits only in early generalization sessions.
Conclusions:
- Extensive practice does not eliminate spatial interference in complex bimanual drawing tasks.
- Difficulties persist in translating abstract goals into motor actions, highlighting limitations in praxis.
- Independent control of hand movements shows incomplete generalization after practice.
