The coupled oscillator model of between-hand coordination in alternate-hand tapping: A reappraisal

Single and alternating hand tapping were compared to test the hypothesis th at coordination during rhythmic movements is mediated by the control of spe cific time intervals. In Experiment 1, an auditory metronome was used to in dicate a set of timing patterns in which a 1-s interval was divided into 2 subintervals. Performance, measured in terms of the deviation from the targ et patterns and variability, was similar under conditions in which the fing er taps were made with I hand or alternated between the 2 hands. In Experim ent 2, the modality of the metronome (auditory or visual) was found to infl uence the manner in which the produced intervals deviated from the target p atterns. These results challenge the notion that bimanual coordination emer ges from coupling constraints intrinsic to the 2-hand system. They are in a ccord with a framework that emphasizes the control of specific time interva ls to form a series of well-defined motor events.