Perspectives on the dynamic nature of coupling in human coordination

Abstract

This chapter focuses on motor coordination between similar as well as different classes of movements from a phase flow perspective. Most studies on coordination dynamics are concerned with coordination of rhythmic movements. This constraint enables the modeler to describe the interaction between the oscillating movement components by a phase description, and its dynamics by a potential function. However, potential functions are extremely limited and exist only in a limit number of cases. In contrast, dynamical systems can be unambiguously described through their phase flows. The present chapter elaborates on coordination dynamics from the phase flow perspective and sheds new light on the meaning of biological coupling. The phase flow deformations of coupled systems may be understood using the notion of convergence and divergence of the phase space trajectories and aid in explaining the mechanisms of trajectory formation and the interaction (coupling) between arbitrary movements. © 2010 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.