The role of timing in motor program representation

Abstract

A motor program is the representation in memory that controls the sequential structure of a motor skill. The present research was an attempt to determine the degree to which the timing and sequencing components of a motor skill are related in motor-program representation in a serial key-pressing task. Four groups practiced on event sequences varying in the form of the inherent temporal structure. Following training subjects attempted to execute the event sequences from memory as quickly as possible where the maintenance of the inherent temporal structure was not required. Under speed instructions the entire sequence was speeded up, but performance was still strongly influenced by the overall temporal structure acquired during training. The results suggested that the relative timing of events is an integral part of motor program representation, particularly in skills involving rhythmic timing structures. This paper is based on a doctoral dissertation at the University of Oregon, Dr. Steven W. Keele, sponsor. The research was supported by a contract from the Office of Naval Research, Contract No. N00014-67-A-0046-004 to S. W. Keele.