ERIC Number: EJ772048
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Aug
Pages: 11
Abstractor: Author
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0096-1523
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Available Date: N/A
Visual Tracking and Entrainment to an Environmental Rhythm
Schmidt, R. C.; Richardson, Michael J.; Arsenault, Christine; Galantucci, Bruno
Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance, v33 n4 p860-870 Aug 2007
This study investigated the role that visual tracking plays in coupling rhythmic limb movements to an environmental rhythm. Two experiments were conducted in which participants swung a hand-held pendulum while tracking an oscillating stimulus or while keeping their eyes fixed on a stationary location directly above an oscillating stimulus. It was expected that the participants' rhythmic movements would become entrained to the oscillating stimulus in both conditions but that visual tracking would strengthen this entrainment. Experiment 1 investigated the role of visual tracking in establishing unintentional entrainment. Experiment 2 investigated the role of visual tracking in intentional entrainment. As predicted, participants exhibited greater unintentional coordination and more stable intentional coordination when they tracked the stimulus. These findings highlight the importance of understanding the role of eye movements in environmental coordination.
Descriptors: Eye Movements, Visual Stimuli, Spatial Ability, Perceptual Motor Learning, Perceptual Motor Coordination, Educational Experiments, Role Perception, Object Manipulation, Research Design, Stimuli, Psychomotor Skills
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A