The time course of cross-talk during the simultaneous specification of bimanual movement amplitudes

We investigated the time course of the amplitude specification of rapid bimanual reversal movements (lateral displacements on two digitizers). To this end we used the timed-response paradigm in which the response has to be initiated synchronously with an auditory signal. Information about the required amplitudes was presented at various times before the synchronization signal. Consistent with previous results, the progression of amplitude specification was reflected in the dependence of the amplitudes of the reversal movements on the time interval between amplitude information and synchronization signal. Same or different amplitudes for the hands were used to examine cross-talk at the programming level of the two-level model of intermanual interference. The results indicate the existence of cross-talk in particular at short intervals between information about amplitude and movement initiation. This is consistent with the notion that cross-talk between concurrent processes of amplitude specification is transient and vanishes as the time available for motor programming increases.