Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 23, 2026
08:12
Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
Published on: September 11, 2019
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Emergent perception-action couplings regulate postural adjustments during performance of externally-timed dynamic
Joseph A Stone1, I W Maynard, J S North
1Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, Sheffield Hallam University, Collegiate Hall, Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield, S10 2BP, UK, joseph.stone@shu.ac.uk.
Psychological Research
|September 28, 2014
Summary
Understanding postural control in interceptive actions like catching is key. Providing advanced visual information and ball flight data improves catching performance and movement control.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Motor Control
- Human Perception
Background:
- Studies on postural coordination during interceptive actions are limited.
- Advanced visual information is often excluded in experimental setups.
- Prior research indicates this information influences hand and gaze behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of manipulated visual information on postural control during interceptive actions.
- To examine how advanced visual cues and ball flight data impact catching performance.
- To understand the role of different informational constraints in motor tasks.
Main Methods:
- Twelve participants performed or simulated one-handed catches under three conditions.
- Conditions included integrated advanced visual information and ball flight, thrower's actions only, or ball flight only.
- Whole-body kinematic and kinetic data were recorded.
Main Results:
- Lower limb adjustments regulated posture when integrating visual and ball flight information, or with ball flight only.
- Early movement initiation with advanced visual information led to better control and performance.
- Absence of ball flight data resulted in upward center of mass projection compared to a downward trajectory.
Conclusions:
- Postural coordination is highly dependent on specific informational constraints in experimental designs.
- Integrating advanced visual cues and ball flight information enhances interceptive action performance.
- Careful consideration of task constraints is crucial for perception-action research.
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