The Utility of Vision During Action: Multiple Visuomotor Processes?

Recently, D. Elliott etal. (2010) asserted that the current control phase of a movement could be segregated in multiple processes, including impulse and limb-target regulation processes. The authors aimed to provide further empirical evidence and determine some of the constraints that govern these visuomotor processes. In 2 experiments, vision was presented or withdrawn when limb velocity was above or below selected velocity criteria. The authors observed that vision provided between 0.8 and 0.9m/s significantly improved impulse regulation processes while vision provided up to 1.1m/s significantly increased limb-target regulation processes. These results lend support to D. Elliott etal. and provide evidence that impulse regulation and limb-target regulation can take place at different velocities during a movement.