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Simon Says: Response Dynamics to Meaningful Joint Action Gestures

Malone, MaryLauren
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1382372693

Abstract Details

2013, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Psychology.
Much of our everyday behavior is grounded in our social environment, dependent on the perceptions and action of others. A number of theories have been suggested concerning the ability of individuals to appropriately and effectively respond to the behaviors of others. One predominant view maintains that shared motor representations facilitate the prediction of upcoming events. Another prevalent theory proposes dynamical entrainment processes that operate to constrain and influence the time-evolving response variability of co-acting individuals. Where the former common-coding perspective points to abstract representational or neurocognitive mechanisms to explain joint action behavior, the latter dynamical systems perspective seeks to uncover the dynamical process that underlie the formation of behavioral movements and actions. Specifically, dynamical systems research examines the complex interactions that bind the components of the human movement system together, and to a task environment, in terms of how they reflect the dynamical organization of ongoing behavioral order. Many studies conducted within these perspectives use contrived reaction time tasks and non-goal directed, contextually independent movements in response to non-social stimuli. As a consequence, though these different interpretations of joint action offer substantial evidence for their respective claims of the processes that support social joint action, they may not be representative of the dynamic, time-evolving response behavior that occurs between two genuine co-actors. The current research investigated the possibility that more information about joint response behavior could be uncovered by utilizing a whole-body movement in response to authentic, biological movements of another individual. In order to better understand the dynamic assembly of socially situated responses, the present research examined the anticipatory postural adjustments and the ongoing motor control of responsive action to the perception of authentic gestures, as opposed to static stimuli. The current study also investigated whether response dynamics change as a function of differing environmental conditions within a socially contextual joint action task. In two experiments, participants responded to another actor’s pointing gesture by either pointing (a mirrored response; Experiment 1) or stepping (a complementary response; Experiment 2) in a compatible (same direction) or incompatible (opposite direction) manner. Results from both experiments indicated a standard effect of spatial stimulus-response compatibility on response time, but did not reveal any additional patterns in the movement dynamics. Though a particular aim was to improve previous methodology with the use of responses more akin to those found in true social contexts, it is likely that the required behavior was still contrived. The current methodology may have sacrificed real behavior for increased experimental control by restricting responses and, consequently, the efficacy of the related analyses. In addition, methodological limitations of specific behavioral recordings beyond reaction time may have diminished the ability of the present investigation to be informative about behavioral response dynamics, and what insight such dynamics provide about the nature of joint action. Although the general results were not significant, a consideration of the present study’s limitations addresses possible issues associated with the study of behavioral response dynamics and provides a framework for future research regarding the psychology of social behavior.
Michael Richardson, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Rachel Kallen, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Michael Riley, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
72 p.
Psychology
social behavior; reaction time; stimulus-response compatibility; dynamical systems; perception and action

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Malone, M. (2013). Simon Says: Response Dynamics to Meaningful Joint Action Gestures [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1382372693

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Malone, MaryLauren. Simon Says: Response Dynamics to Meaningful Joint Action Gestures. 2013. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1382372693.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Malone, MaryLauren. "Simon Says: Response Dynamics to Meaningful Joint Action Gestures." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2013. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1382372693

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

ucin1382372693
282
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This open access ETD is published by University of Cincinnati and OhioLINK.