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Handing Over a Cube
Author(s) -
Huber Markus,
Knoll Alois,
Brandt Thomas,
Glasauer Stefan
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
annals of the new york academy of sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.712
H-Index - 248
eISSN - 1749-6632
pISSN - 0077-8923
DOI - 10.1111/j.1749-6632.2008.03743.x
Subject(s) - handover , a priori and a posteriori , computer science , negotiation , task (project management) , joint (building) , adaptation (eye) , action (physics) , cube (algebra) , artificial intelligence , cognitive psychology , physical medicine and rehabilitation , psychology , mathematics , medicine , engineering , telecommunications , geometry , political science , architectural engineering , philosophy , physics , systems engineering , epistemology , quantum mechanics , neuroscience , law
Even though joint action is highly developed in humans, not much is known about motor control in physical joint‐action tasks. Here we investigated a physical handover task: one subject sequentially passed wooden cubes to another without communicating verbally. Temporal parameters such as reaction time decreased on a trial‐to‐trial basis, showing that the efficiency of the task is optimized on‐line by implicit negotiation between the partners. In contrast, the spatial position of the handover was found to be invariant and trial‐independent. Thus, our results suggest that physical joint‐action is guided by on‐line adaptation and a priori assumptions.