Attentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movements
Abstract The majority of human behaviors are composed of automatic movements (e.g., walking or finger-tapping) which are learned during nurturing and can be performed simultaneously without interfering with other tasks. One critical and yet to be examined assumption is that the attention system has...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80296-z |
| _version_ | 1818433573913362432 |
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| author | Xilei Zhang Xingxun Jiang Xiangyong Yuan Wenming Zheng |
| author_facet | Xilei Zhang Xingxun Jiang Xiangyong Yuan Wenming Zheng |
| author_sort | Xilei Zhang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The majority of human behaviors are composed of automatic movements (e.g., walking or finger-tapping) which are learned during nurturing and can be performed simultaneously without interfering with other tasks. One critical and yet to be examined assumption is that the attention system has the innate capacity to modulate automatic movements. The present study tests this assumption. Setting no deliberate goals for movement, we required sixteen participants to perform personalized and well-practiced finger-tapping movements in three experiments while focusing their attention on either different component fingers or away from movements. Using cutting-edge pose estimation techniques to quantify tapping trajectory, we showed that attention to movement can disrupt movement automaticity, as indicated by decreased inter-finger and inter-trial temporal coherence; facilitate the attended and inhibit the unattended movements in terms of tapping amplitude; and re-organize the action sequence into distinctive patterns according to the focus of attention. These findings demonstrate compelling evidence that attention can modulate automatic movements and provide an empirical foundation for theories based on such modulation in controlling human behavior. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T16:23:15Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35127a6e81a04bb78d29fe4c5336b140 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T16:23:15Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-35127a6e81a04bb78d29fe4c5336b1402022-12-21T22:54:45ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222021-01-0111111310.1038/s41598-020-80296-zAttentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movementsXilei Zhang0Xingxun Jiang1Xiangyong Yuan2Wenming Zheng3School of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast UniversitySchool of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast UniversityInstitute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of SciencesSchool of Biological Sciences and Medical Engineering, Southeast UniversityAbstract The majority of human behaviors are composed of automatic movements (e.g., walking or finger-tapping) which are learned during nurturing and can be performed simultaneously without interfering with other tasks. One critical and yet to be examined assumption is that the attention system has the innate capacity to modulate automatic movements. The present study tests this assumption. Setting no deliberate goals for movement, we required sixteen participants to perform personalized and well-practiced finger-tapping movements in three experiments while focusing their attention on either different component fingers or away from movements. Using cutting-edge pose estimation techniques to quantify tapping trajectory, we showed that attention to movement can disrupt movement automaticity, as indicated by decreased inter-finger and inter-trial temporal coherence; facilitate the attended and inhibit the unattended movements in terms of tapping amplitude; and re-organize the action sequence into distinctive patterns according to the focus of attention. These findings demonstrate compelling evidence that attention can modulate automatic movements and provide an empirical foundation for theories based on such modulation in controlling human behavior.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80296-z |
| spellingShingle | Xilei Zhang Xingxun Jiang Xiangyong Yuan Wenming Zheng Attentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movements Scientific Reports |
| title | Attentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movements |
| title_full | Attentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movements |
| title_fullStr | Attentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movements |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movements |
| title_short | Attentional focus modulates automatic finger-tapping movements |
| title_sort | attentional focus modulates automatic finger tapping movements |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-80296-z |
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