The Dynamical Substructure of Bimanual Coordination

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the dynamical substructure of bimanual coordination. In undertaking dynamical analyses, a general problem is to obtain an appropriate level of description and identify the task-relevant degrees of freedom therein. The coupling of perception and action may itself be characterized as a pattern formation process. Characterization of the dynamics of the component oscillators may also elucidate features that are not adequately captured at the level of the collective variable. In a study described in the chapter, a number of preferred frequency trials were first performed to establish whether, in the absence of informational constraints, the degree of mechanical anchoring was equivalent in each portion of the movement cycle. The finding of preferred transition pathways between stationary states fulfills at least one of the predictions of symmetry-breaking dynamics. It also suggests that there may exist asymmetries that are not fully expressed in terms of unimanual preferred frequencies.