The role of 'prehistory' in the reproduction of sequential movements of the right and left hands: Encoding of positions, movements, and sequence structure

摘要

Subjects' errors in reproducing a remembered series of movements in the absence of visual feedback were analyzed in relation to previous performance of the task with the right and left hands ("prehistory") and the spatial positioning of the movement target - randomly or ordered - according to a rule known to the subjects. Information relating to ordered positions of elements was found to be used in organizing movements of the right hand, while information relating to random positions was used in organizing movements of the left hand. When information relating to the ordered structure of the sequence exists, this mechanism activates the mechanisms encoding movements specific for the left hemisphere (vector coding); random positioning of elements in the sequence activates right-hemisphere position-coding mechanisms.