Week 3.2: Response Programming

Question 1

Response programming

Answer 1

Response programming is a transformation and translation of the action concept into the muscular actions that will achieve the goal
-sensorimotor transformations
-events occurring and response programming could be related to memory
-involves the preparation of relevant motor structures

*the final set of processes that allow the individual to communicate with the environment

Question 2

Response programming - Henry and Rogers

Answer 2

Henry and Rogers in 1960 Pioneer research on response programming
-compared the reaction time for three different movements

movement a = lift finger
movement b = lift finger and reach to ball
Movement c = lift finger and hit ball, press a button, then reach to another ball

*slower to lift finger in c) when more complex movements after

Question 3

Henry and Rogers 1960 Findings

Answer 3

RT increased as movement complexity increased
-Henry and Roger’s concluded that the programming of more complex movements requires more time
-involves the planning of coordinated action required to control the limb through different tasks

Question 4

Movement Complexities (3)

Answer 4

1. Accuracy requirement - the size of the goal
   -speed accuracy trade-offs (Fitt’s Law)
2. Movement components- how many individual movements (like Henry and Rogers)
   -the number of parts of a movement can increase the initial programming time
   (e.g. the time to say the first word increased with the number of words)
   -time between components is important (Franks et. al 1998)
   (with a long pause in between movement components (260 ms)
   reaction times did not increase)
3. Movement duration - how much time from beginning to end
   -this might be the major variable how can we test this

Question 5

Klapp and Erwin 1992

Question 6

Response Programming Findings

Answer 6

Movement complexity - does this affect RT
-it does, but movement complexity also affects RT even before the
selection has been made

When the choice of movement is unknown
-more complex stimulus response relationships take longer to program

What are we programming exactly when we program a response?
-is it a specific point to point trajectory ( visually or represented visually)?
-is it a series of muscle contractions ( activation patterns to get us to the goal)?
-is it some sort of end goal that we intend to solve ( inverse Dynamics)?

Question 7

Programming a trajectory

Answer 7

Proponents of sensory coding theories of motor behaviour argue that we plan a point-to-point visual trajectory
-based on the idea that neural activation patterns in motor areas represent spatial goals in a visual reference frame

Question 8

Batista and Newsome 2000- Evidence for Trajectory Programming

Answer 8

Reach for target, when shift arm, shift neural response
-found same neural response with a false arm
-mapped proprioceptive senses on false arm

Question 9

Criticisms of sensory coding and reference frames

Answer 9

Behavioural relevance is questionable and has been criticized how do we make movements to non-visual targets
-evidence for different Networks (manson et al 2019)

Cannot thoroughly explain rapid Corrections based on information from
non-visual sensory sources

Question 10

Motor programming theory

Answer 10

Motor programs= A pre-structured set of movement commands that defines the essential details of a skilled action, with minimal or no involvement of sensory feedback
-muscles to use
-sequence of muscle activations
-force, timing and duration of muscle contractions

During response programming- the motor program to achieve the action is specified

Question 11

Wadman, 1979: Evidence for Motor Programming

Answer 11

Elbow extension movements, measured agonist and antagonist muscle contractions or movements

-Found triphasic burst pattern happened even after movement stopped
-Indicated they planned trajectory the whole time or before they performed movement

Question 12

Criticism of motor programs

Answer 12

Storage problem: imagine if every movement was a distinct motor program, it would require much more space to store them all

Degrees of freedom problem: there are too many degrees of freedom to control

Do we even need a central nervous system to control movements?
-Rely only on passive Dynamics
-Resembles human gait pattern

Question 13

Berstein’s Dynamical Systems Theory

Answer 13

Dynamical systems theory: stereotypes similarities of movement patterns are not
represented in motor programs but emerge naturally due to complex mechanics

Solves the DoF problem, and explain expertise and freezing the right DoFs
-Leaves out complexity of the CNS
-Need a minimal solution

Biomechanics and Rehabilitation people like this theory a lot