RELATIVE PHASE ALTERATIONS DURING BIMANUAL SKILL ACQUISITION

The purposes of the research reported here were (a) to examine changes in relative phase during the acquisition of a new coordination patter n and (b) to determine the effect of learning this pattern on the abil ity to perform other coordination patterns. Ten subjects practiced an upper limb coordination task that required a 90 degrees phase offset a nd different amplitudes for each arm. A gross approximation of the mea n relative phase for the intended coordination pattern occurred quickl y, but the attainment of stability occurred much more gradually. These results were accompanied by changes in pattern stability across pract ice and on various transfer tests. Learning of the new coordination pa ttern also affected the stability of the antiphase mode, but this effe ct was only temporary.