Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Hesitations in manual tracking: a single-channel limit in response programming

A Netick1, S T Klapp

  • 1Department of Psychology, California State University, Hayward 94542.

Journal of Experimental Psychology. Human Perception and Performance
|August 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

Human dual-task performance shows tracking hesitations when responding to auditory stimuli, linked to the psychological refractory period effect. These delays occur during response programming, not early perception.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Response programming in simple and choice reactions.

Journal of motor behavior·2013
Same author

Motor programming within a sequence of responses.

Journal of motor behavior·2013
Same author

Short-term memory as a response preparation state.

Memory & cognition·2011
Same author

Can people tap concurrent bimanual rhythms independently?

Journal of motor behavior·2009
Same author

Tests of attentional flexibility in listening to polyrhythmic patterns.

Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance·1995
Same author

The relation of perception and motor action: ideomotor compatibility and interference in divided attention.

Journal of motor behavior·1991

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive psychology
  • Human-computer interaction
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Dual-task interference is a common phenomenon where performing two tasks simultaneously leads to performance decrements.
  • The psychological refractory period (PRP) effect describes a delay in responding to a second stimulus when it closely follows a first stimulus.
  • Understanding the specific stages of information processing affected by dual-tasking is crucial for optimizing human performance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the underlying mechanisms of tracking hesitations during dual-task performance.
  • To determine which stage of information processing (perceptual, decision-making, or response programming) is most affected by concurrent auditory stimuli.
  • To differentiate the cause of hesitations from target blanking versus auditory stimulus response.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Methods:

  • Participants performed manual joystick tracking of a visual target under different control orders (zero-order, first-order).
  • Auditory stimuli, including a go-no-go paradigm, were presented to the other hand concurrently.
  • Tracking performance and response times were analyzed to identify hesitations and their timing.

Main Results:

  • Hesitations in visual tracking occurred when participants responded to auditory stimuli, consistent with the psychological refractory period effect.
  • Hesitations were significantly reduced when the auditory stimulus was part of a go-no-go task (no-go condition), suggesting late-stage processing involvement.
  • Findings indicate that the bottleneck in dual-task processing is likely within the response programming stage, not earlier perceptual or decision stages.
  • Target blanking induced hesitations via a distinct mechanism compared to auditory stimulus processing.

Conclusions:

  • Dual-task interference in this context primarily impacts the response programming stage of cognitive processing.
  • The psychological refractory period effect's manifestation in manual tracking is sensitive to the nature of the concurrent task, particularly decision complexity.
  • These findings have implications for designing interfaces and tasks that minimize cognitive load and performance decrements in dual-task scenarios.