Perseveration effects in reaching and grasping rely on motor priming and not perception

Scott Glover, Peter Dixon

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Perseveration effects in grasping were examined in two experiments. In both experiments, participants reached and grasped different versions of a novel object with their thumb and forefinger using either a horizontal or vertical pincer grasp. The dependent variable was the choice of grasp. In Experiment 1, trials were performed either with or without visual feedback. In Experiment 2, trials were performed either physically or using motor imagery. In both experiments, participants tended to perseverate in their choice of grip. Further, there was no evidence that either the availability of visual feedback during the preceding or current action modulated this effect; mode of responding was similarly inconsequential. The results were interpreted as evidence for a motor priming explanation of perseveration and against an account that relies on perceptual priming.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)53-61
JournalExperimental Brain Research
Volume226
Issue number1
Early online date26 Jan 2013
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Apr 2013

Keywords

  • perseveration, motor priming, posture selection, perception

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