Lecture 7b: Closed-Loop Motor Control (visual and unconscious)

Question 1

Conscious closed loop control (visual)

Answer 1

• consciously controlled adjustments based on sensory information (for successful execution)
• require selective attention
• involves information processing stages
• there is also another level that is nonconscious that does not require information processing stages

Question 2

How long does it take to process visual info?

Answer 2

• vision condition known: participants know when visual feedback is available, so can plan to use it
  vision processed in < 150 ms (potentially as early as ~100 ms) – similar to fastest simple RT

Question 3

Can we make adjustments or feedback based corrections more quickly?

Answer 3

if conscious closed-loop information processing takes too long; there are other quicker closed-loop mechanisms that do not require attention
- non-conscious loops are important in maintaining balance

Question 4

2 Types of Closed-Loop Control Systems

Answer 4

conscious closed loop control
- consciously controlled adjustments based on sensory information
- require selective attention
- involves information processing stages
- controlled, voluntary, not so rapid (delays>150ms)

reflexive (proprioceptive) closed loop control
- little or no conscious control
- does not require selective attention
- reflexive modulations during performance of a motor skill “low-level” (occur in spinal cord and brainstem)
- stereotyped, involuntary, rapid fashion