Anchoring Strategies for Learning a Bimanual Coordination Pattern

Anchoring has been defined as synchronizing a point in a movement cycle with an external stimulus (W. D. Byblow, R. G. Carson, & D. Goodman, 1994). Previously, investigators have examined anchoring during in-phase and antiphase movements. The present authors examined anchoring during acquisition of a novel bimanual coordination pattern. Participants performed a 90 degrees pattern at 1 Hz, with a 2- or 4-Hz metronome. No group differences were found in pattern performance; however, the 4-Hz group developed more consistent anchoring relative to the metronome. Mechanical anchor-point variability differed by hand, position (midpoint vs. endpoint), and direction (flexion vs. extension) but not by metronome frequency. Those results support and extend previous findings but leave unanswered questions regarding the benefits and effectiveness of anchoring during a 90 degrees pattern.