Spatial Codes in Visual-Motor Task Performance: Translation between Vertical and Horizontal Planes

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate the effects of plane translation on visual-motor task performance. Two available models that try to explain human motor performance under different operator/machine interaction situations are the Visual Field Compatibility model of Worringham & Beringer (VF), and the traditional Control-Display Compatibility model (CD). In the study of these models, it is common to use tasks that involve a vertical display and a horizontal control, requiring a "plane translation" (PT) of information, which could be affecting the very phenomenon under study. Using a computer tracking task, consisting of moving a cursor vertically into one of eight equally spaced targets, the configuration of operator/machine interface was arranged to accomodate eight different experimental conditions, involving all possible combinations of presence or absence of CD and VF compatibility, and PT. 48 college students were randomly distributed into groups of six, one group per condition. Each subject performed 56 trials, grouped into seven blocks of eight comparable trials each. Two dependent variables were defined; total response time (TRT), and error size (ERR). Multiple factor ANOVAs showed no significant main effects of practice (p˂.0001), direction of movement (p=.0185), and extent of movement (p˂.0001), on TRT, and of practice (p˂.0001) on ERR. Contrary to previous reports, neither VF nor CD compatibility showed a significant main effect on ERR (VF p=.075, CD p=.172) or TRT (VF p=.143, CD p=.116). Analysis of two way interactions suggests that this discrepancy may be partly explained by significant interaction between VF and PT (p=.0483). In summary, these data suggest that plane translation has no direct effect on motor performance. There is weak evidence for VF or CD compatibility during the execution of this particular task.