Timing fast and slow constant velocity movements

Abstract

This study investigated the timing of fast and slow constant velocity movements. Experiment 1 employed movement time-distance combinations resulting in constant velocities of 7.5 and 50 cm/sec. The findings demonstrated that the faster constant velocity movements produced less variability in timing errors. Experiment 2 directly compared timing accuracy under free and fixed start conditions and utilized an angular rotation task with average velocities of 10 and 100 deg/sec. Response timing was more accurate at the fast velocity movements but was not affected by whether the movement was produced under constant velocity conditions (free start) or initiated from a fixed starting position. Collectively, the findings show that reductions in timing error occur as a function of increases in average velocity even when the initial impulse is removed from the timed portion of the response.