Action understanding: An investigation into the simultaneous perception and performance of human movement
Poster Presentation

Stuart Jackson
School of Computer Science and Informatics, UCD

Nuala Brady
School of Psychology, UCD

Fred Cummins
School of Computer Science and Informatics, UCD

Kenneth Monaghan
School of Physiotherapy and Performance Science, UCD

     Abstract ID Number: 81
     Full text: Not available
     Last modified: March 16, 2006
     Presentation date: 06/19/2006 10:00 AM in Hamilton Building, Foyer
     (View Schedule)

Abstract
In a series of behavioural studies, we are examining the interaction between the observation of human movement and the simultaneous control by the observer of his/her own movement. We are particularly interested in answering the question of whether the presence of an actual person is crucial to inducing interaction between observed and performed actions. Do certain features of observed human movement (direction, velocity, effector, etc.) have a greater impact on movement control than others? Can these features be isolated and investigated using point-light displays, a widely used test material in action perception research? The study tasks require participants to perform gross arm movements in either horizontal or vertical directions while simultaneously observing either another person or a point-light figure perform the same or different movements. Movement variability is measured as the angular displacement of a point on the hand relative to the shoulder/torso, and is recorded using 3-D motion tracking equipment. Initial data suggest movement control may be differentially affected across conditions. The results are particularly relevant to work on autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in which biological movement perception is found to be impaired, and are also relevant to research on shared perception-action systems, or ‘mirror neuron’ systems, more generally.