Coordinative and Strategic Aspects of Tracking Discontinuous Inputs.
Abstract
Two basic research projects were pursued. One project developed a finite-state model of how an individual tracker coordinates additively coupled position and velocity control sticks to capture a moving target. The model is multi-level. The top level consists of a discrete, probabilistic activity sequence generator closely related to the tracker's plan or general strategy for target capture. Lower levels of detail are more deterministic and indicate how the activities are conditioned by system error and by elapsed time. Marked individual differences were found among subjects at various levels of the performance model. The second project developed a sensitive methodology for measuring a subject's extrapolated trajectory of a movement pattern that became hidden from view. The entire trajectory was mapped out over a series of trials, each of which measured a single point on the extrapolated trajectory. With prolonged practice and performance feedback the extrapolated trajectory closely approximated the objective movement pattern. However, withdrawal of feedback and the presence of irrelevant slower or faster movements shifted the entire extrapolated trajectory. These shifts can be described as parametric perturbations of an internal cognitive model of the movement pattern. There were marked individual differences in the lability of the internal model. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1981
- Accession Number
- ADA102043
Entities
People
- Rajendra B. Nalavade
- Richard A. Miller
- Richard J. Jagacinski
- Walter W. Johnson
Organizations
- Ohio State University