Abstract
Action choices are influenced by recent past and predicted future action states. Here, we demonstrate that recent hand-choice history affects both current hand choices and response times to initiate actions. Participants reach to contact visible targets using one hand. Hand choice is biased in favour of which hand was used recently, in particular, when the biomechanical costs of responding with either hand are similar, and repeated choices lead to reduced response times. These effects are also found to positively correlate. Participants who show strong effects of recent history on hand choice also tend to show strong effects of recent history on response times. The data are consistent with a computational efficiency interpretation whereby repeated action choices confer computational gains in the efficiency of underpinning processes. We discuss our results within the framework of this model, and with respect to balancing predicted gains and losses, and speculate about the possible underlying mechanisms in neural terms.
Highlights
Action choices are influenced by recent past and predicted future action states
The current data reveal that recent action history influences hand choice and demonstrate that these effects parallel differences in response times
By linking the effects of recent history on action choices and response times, the current findings provide new support for a computational efficiency interpretation of action hysteresis
Summary
Sixty individuals (43 female, mean age = 20.8 ± 4.2 years, age range: 18–51 years) from Bangor University participated in the experiment. All participants had normal or corrected-to-normal vision and provided informed consent in accordance with the Bangor University School of Psychology Ethics Board. A modified version of the Waterloo Handedness Inventory (Steenhuis & Bryden, 1989; scores range from −30 to +30) identified 51 participants as right-handers (mean score = 22.8 ± 6.2, range: 6–30; 38 female), and seven as left-handers (mean score = −13.4 ± −8.8, range: −1 to −24; five female). The experiment took approximately 1 hour to complete, and participants received course credits for their participation
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