Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 20, 2026
15:00
The Impact of Motor Task Conditions on Goal-Directed Arm Reaching Kinematics and Trunk Compensation in Chronic Stroke Survivors
Published on: May 2, 2021
4.1K
Control of Integrated Task Sequences Shapes Components of Reaching
Priya Viswanathan1, Jill Whitall1, Florian A Kagerer2
1a University of Maryland, School of Medicine , Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science , Baltimore , Maryland.
Journal of Motor Behavior
|June 3, 2016
Summary
Task complexity influences movement planning. Reaching movements show altered feedforward control and reduced latency between actions as task demands increase, with preferred hands demonstrating greater efficiency.
Area of Science:
- Motor control
- Human movement science
- Cognitive neuroscience
Background:
- Human reaching movements are complex sequences of elemental actions.
- Understanding how task elements influence movement planning is crucial for motor control research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of task elements on feedforward and feedback control during reaching movements.
- To examine how different task complexities modify movement planning and execution.
Main Methods:
- Nine right-handed adults performed four reaching tasks of varying complexity with dominant and non-dominant hands.
- Tasks included simple reaching, reach-to-grasp, reach-to-grasp-and-lift, and reach-to-grasp-lift-and-place.
Main Results:
- Increased task complexity (reach-to-grasp-and-lift) allocated more time to the feedforward component of the reach phase.
- Latency between successive task elements decreased with higher task complexity.
- Significant between-hand differences were observed, with the preferred hand showing more efficient planning.
Conclusions:
- Task elements significantly modulate feedforward and feedback control during reaching.
- Movement planning is context-dependent, with task complexity altering motor control strategies.
- The preferred hand exhibits enhanced efficiency in processing planning-related information.
Related Concept Videos
01:18Hierarchy of Motor Control
6.7K
The hierarchy of motor control refers to the different levels of organization and processing involved in controlling movement in the body. These levels range from higher cortical areas involved in planning and decision-making to lower spinal cord reflexes that respond automatically to external stimuli.
6.7K
01:19Role of Shaping in Operant Conditioning
1.2K
Shaping is a technique used in operant conditioning to train complex behaviors by rewarding successive approximations toward the target behavior. This method is necessary because organisms are unlikely to perform complex behaviors spontaneously. Instead, shaping breaks down the desired behavior into small, manageable steps.
The steps involved in shaping begin with reinforcing any response that resembles the desired behavior. For example, parents might praise a child for picking up one toy. As...
The steps involved in shaping begin with reinforcing any response that resembles the desired behavior. For example, parents might praise a child for picking up one toy. As...
1.2K