TASK METRICS INFLUENCE THE PROCESSING OF INFORMATION

University Of Maryland College Pk Campus, College Park MD

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Abstract

The long-term goal is to gain a cleared understanding of the cortical processing of information. Work on the processing underlying movement preparation has often focused on constraints that arise from limitations in processing capacity. However, Rosenbaum (1980) demonstrated that processes associated with movement preparation also depend on the dimensions of the movement task being prepared. The current proposal investigates how the dimensions of the movement task influences movement planning. Three specific aims will be investigated through a series of experiments that are guided by the theoretical framework, Dynamic Field Theory (DFT). A goal-directed choice movement paradigm will be employed The first specific aim uses behavioral measures to show the importance of metrics on processes related to movement planning. A reinterpretation of a classic phenomenon is illustrated; namely, the Hick-Hyman law can be violated on a two versus three choice movement task when the angular separation between possible targets is small. The second specific aim probes in detail the effects of task metrics on both behavioral and electrocortical responses. The three specific aim directly tests the differences in the mental rotation and DFT viewpoints.