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Contributions from Impulse and Limb-Target Regulation to Schmidt's Linear Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff
Jarrod Blinch1, Coby Trovinger1, Joseph Opdenaker2
1Department of Kinesiology & Sport Management, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA.
Journal of Motor Behavior
|March 31, 2026
Summary
This study on sensorimotor mechanisms reveals that impulse regulation, not limb-target control, drives the speed-accuracy tradeoff in pointing movements. This finding clarifies how movements achieve both speed and accuracy in tasks like Schmidt
Area of Science:
- Motor Control
- Human Movement Science
- Sensorimotor Integration
Background:
- The speed-accuracy tradeoff is a fundamental principle in motor control.
- Previous research suggests minimal online control in Schmidt's task.
- Distinguishing between different online control mechanisms is crucial for understanding movement regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the sensorimotor mechanisms underlying the linear speed-accuracy tradeoff.
- To differentiate between online control, impulse regulation, and limb-target regulation in discrete pointing movements.
- To test the hypothesis that Schmidt's task movements involve minimal online control.
Main Methods:
- Thirty participants performed discrete pointing movements with varying movement times and amplitudes.
- Trajectory analysis was employed to differentiate online control from impulse and limb-target regulation.
- Linear mixed-effects models analyzed the relationship between velocity and spatial error.
Main Results:
- A significant linear relationship was observed between mean velocity and variable spatial error.
- Most conditions exhibited minimal limb-target regulation, indicated by movement time post-maximum velocity and submovements.
- Spatial variability throughout movement execution confirmed the presence of online control in all conditions.
Conclusions:
- Online control, driven by impulse regulation rather than limb-target regulation, underlies the speed-accuracy tradeoff in this task.
- Impulse regulation modulates movement velocity effectively without compromising temporal precision, aligning with Schmidt's task goals.
- Future models of Schmidt's law should differentiate between impulse and limb-target regulation for a more nuanced understanding of sensorimotor control.
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