Collective Variables and Task Constraints in Movement Coordination, Control and Skill

Newell, Karl M.; Liu, Yeou Teh

doi:10.1080/00222895.2020.1835799

Cited by 29 publications

(32 citation statements)

References 145 publications

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“…Such multiscale topological portraits highlight collective aspects of coordination patterns that are irreducible to properties of individual parts. This makes the challenge of identifying collective variables in the complex data and systems encountered in science and engineering all the more important (for an excellent recent review of the concept and the challenges it presents in the field of skilled movements, see [ 144 ].) Topological methods may provide new insights into a system’s coordination dynamics.…”

Section: Some Implications and Future Directions…mentioning

confidence: 99%

Unifying Large- and Small-Scale Theories of Coordination

Kelso

2021

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Coordination is a ubiquitous feature of all living things. It occurs by virtue of informational coupling among component parts and processes and can be quite specific (as when cells in the brain resonate to signals in the environment) or nonspecific (as when simple diffusion creates a source–sink dynamic for gene networks). Existing theoretical models of coordination—from bacteria to brains to social groups—typically focus on systems with very large numbers of elements (N→∞) or systems with only a few elements coupled together (typically N = 2). Though sharing a common inspiration in Nature’s propensity to generate dynamic patterns, both approaches have proceeded largely independent of each other. Ideally, one would like a theory that applies to phenomena observed on all scales. Recent experimental research by Mengsen Zhang and colleagues on intermediate-sized ensembles (in between the few and the many) proves to be the key to uniting large- and small-scale theories of coordination. Disorder–order transitions, multistability, order–order phase transitions, and especially metastability are shown to figure prominently on multiple levels of description, suggestive of a basic Coordination Dynamics that operates on all scales. This unified coordination dynamics turns out to be a marriage of two well-known models of large- and small-scale coordination: the former based on statistical mechanics (Kuramoto) and the latter based on the concepts of Synergetics and nonlinear dynamics (extended Haken–Kelso–Bunz or HKB). We show that models of the many and the few, previously quite unconnected, are thereby unified in a single formulation. The research has led to novel topological methods to handle the higher-dimensional dynamics of coordination in complex systems and has implications not only for understanding coordination but also for the design of (biorhythm inspired) computers.

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Section: Some Implications and Future Directions…mentioning

confidence: 99%

Unifying Large- and Small-Scale Theories of Coordination

Kelso

2021

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“…The experiment examined novice male gymnasts learning through practice to perform for the first time a complete longswing cycle on the high bar. Our focus was on the emergence of the formation of the movement pattern of the longswing and the coupling dynamics of the bar and CM -a candidate collective variable (Kelso, 1995;Mitra et al, 1998;Newell & Liu, 2020) for the task. A previous analysis of the task dynamics had revealed that one task constraint for the longswing is the attainment of a complete limit cycle of the CM angular velocity that needs to be above an implicit minimum level to sustain oscillation of the body around the full circle (Vicinanza et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this approach, an essential feature of the initial stage of learning is forming a taskrelevant coordination pattern as defined by its topological dynamics -the qualitative space-time properties of the movement pattern (Beek & Van Santvoord, 1992;Bernstein, 1967;Mitra et al, 1998;Newell, 1985;Turvey, 1990). This qualitative structure is reflected in the macroscopic framework of an order parameter(s) or collective variable(s) (Haken et al, 1985;Kelso, 2021;Mitra et al, 1998;Newell & Liu, 2020). The subsequent embedded stages of learning in a dynamical framework are the continued stabilisation of the collective variable and enhancement of the efficiency (work/energy expenditure ratio) of the movement organisation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…There are relatively few experimental examinations of adults learning a new movement coordination pattern (for reviews see Button et al, 2021;Newell & Liu, 2020;Newell & McDonald, 1994;Wu & Latash, 2014). There are even fewer experimental papers in the narrower context of learning a gymnastics skill (Williams et al, 2012, 2015a, b, Lee et al, 2016Busquets et al, 2011Busquets et al, , 2013a and in particular determining if an associated collective variable captures the change in the macroscopic qualitative organisation of the movement dynamics (Haken et al, 1985;Kelso, 1995).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Learning the High Bar Longswing:I. Task Dynamics and Emergence of the Coordination Pattern

Irwin

Williams

Kerwin

et al. 2021

Journal of Sports Sciences

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We studied novice gymnasts (N = 25) learning to form the longswing movement coordination pattern. The focus was the emerging behavioural organisation of centre of mass (CM) dynamics and the relative phase of the bar-CM angular motion. Seven novices learned a complete longswing by the end of the study, 8 novices showed no improvement in proportion of circle completed, and the remainder produced modest but persistent increments of final swing height without achieving a full circle. The radial angular velocity generated in the free fall phase and the circle location of bar-CM relative phase progressively and predominantly predicted circle completion. Bar-CM relative phase produced a consistent qualitative relation within-and between-subjects characteristic of a collective variable with the bar leading the CM on the initial downward antiphase segment and the CM leading on the upward antiphase segment. The ratio of these phases was related by the last practice session to degree of circle completion. The findings showed strong individual differences in the effect of practice on the early steps of learning the movement coordination where the progressive emergence of the longswing circle is driven by exploiting the positive-and minimising the negative-influence of gravity on the bar-CM coordination dynamics (candidate collective variable).

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“…This paper is Part II of a study of the effects of practice on young adult male novice gymnasts attempting to learn the movement coordination pattern of the high bar longswing. Part I emphasised the early stage of learning from the perspective of the emergence of the macroscopic properties of the movement pattern of the longswing and an examination of candidate collective variable(s) for the task in a dynamical systems perspective (Kelso, 1995;Newell & Liu, 2020). Here we present a detailed analysis of novice gymnasts learning the most critical component of the longswing circle, namely: to inject mechanical energy into the upswing segment effectively and efficiently so as to complete the full longswing circle.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Learning the high bar longswing:II. energetics and the emergence of the coordination pattern

Irwin

Williams

Kerwin

et al. 2021

Journal of Sports Sciences

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This paper is Part II of a study of the effects of practice on young adult novice gymnasts learning the movement coordination pattern of the longswing. The focus was the early stage of learning a critical component of the longswing, namely: through joint motion to inject mechanical energy into the upswing segment effectively to complete the longswing circle. Twenty-five novice male gymnasts received expert instruction while practicing two sessions a week for 3 weeks between a pre-and a post-practice assessment test trial. Seven novices completed a full circle by the end of Test 4. Completion of the longswing was positively related to the angular velocity generated in the gravity driven free fall of the initial segment and the greater rate of energy input in the upward segment. A successful performance in terms of the emergent movement pattern requires coordination of the onset, rate and level of energy input to counterbalance the negative influence of gravity on the second half upwards segment. The development of the complete longswing through the emergence of the collective variable dynamics (Paper 1) and biomechanical energetics of the gymnast (Paper 2) informs coaches, scientists and clinicians regarding task decomposition and learning the longswing.

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Collective Variables and Task Constraints in Movement Coordination, Control and Skill

Cited by 29 publications

References 145 publications

Unifying Large- and Small-Scale Theories of Coordination

Unifying Large- and Small-Scale Theories of Coordination

Learning the High Bar Longswing:I. Task Dynamics and Emergence of the Coordination Pattern

Learning the high bar longswing:II. energetics and the emergence of the coordination pattern

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