Sensory feedback mechanisms in performance control: with special reference to the ideo-motor mechanism.

Abstract

Four interpretations of the manner in which sensory feedback may be involved in regulation of skilled performance are reviewed. For the serial chaining (SC) and closed-loop (CL) mechanisms, response selection is assumed to occur on the basis of peripheral feedback from preceding correct and incorrect responses, respectively; for the ideo-motor (IM) and fractional anticipatory goal response (ro-so) mechanisms, it is assumed that a response's performance is directed by anticipatory representation of its own feedback or of feedback from the reaction to a goal to which the response leads, respectively. Among the conclusions of the review are (a) evidence for re-so as a mechanism for specific response selection, as opposed to generalized facilitation or inhibition of instrumental performance, is lacking; (b) the notion of a mechanism for comparison of actual feedback with images of desired feedback is not essential for explaining error-correction performance which is characteristic of CL; (c) despite severe criticism by twentieth century behaviorists, the limited available evidence is quite supportive of a contemporary version of IM; and (d) IM, SC, and CL can be regarded as serving complementary performance control functions-selection or programing of voluntary performance (IM), coordination of action within invariant sequential performances (SC), and coordination of action within sequential performances requiring correction responses to error stimuli (CL). Analyses of the acquisition of skilled voluntary performance have frequently been formulated in terms of a transfer of performance control from situational stimuli to response feedback stimuli-that is, to interoceptive or exteroceptive stimuli produced by the learner's own behavior. This paper reviews four conceptions of the nature of sensory feedback mechanisms mediating voluntary performance, including serial chaining,