This study, following a dynamic pattern approach. examines age-related diff
erences in the stability of unimanual rhythmic perception-action patterns.
Thirty-sis children, aged 7, 9, and 11 years, attempted to synchronize thei
r finger tapping to the beats of an auditory metronome, either "on the beat
" (i.e., in-phase coordination), or "off the beat" (i.e., antiphase coordin
ation). The temporal stability of these perception-action patterns was meas
ured by the variability of the relative phase between taps and auditory eve
nts and by the critical frequency, that is, the frequency at which a loss o
f stability was observed when the metronome frequency was increased. Age-re
lated differences in stability were found for both relative phase variabili
ty and critical frequency. These findings suggest that the relative phase d
ynamics underlying perception-action coordination patterns change with age
in the direction of an increased temporal stability.