Is Fitts' law continuous in discrete aiming?

PLoS One. 2012;7(7):e41190. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0041190. Epub 2012 Jul 18.

Abstract

The lawful continuous linear relation between movement time and task difficulty (i.e., index of difficulty; ID) in a goal-directed rapid aiming task (Fitts' law) has been recently challenged in reciprocal performance. Specifically, a discontinuity was observed at critical ID and was attributed to a transition between two distinct dynamic regimes that occurs with increasing difficulty. In the present paper, we show that such a discontinuity is also present in discrete aiming when ID is manipulated via target width (experiment 1) but not via target distance (experiment 2). Fitts' law's discontinuity appears, therefore, to be a suitable indicator of the underlying functional adaptations of the neuro-muscular-skeletal system to task properties/requirements, independently of reciprocal or discrete nature of the task. These findings open new perspectives to the study of dynamic regimes involved in discrete aiming and sensori-motor mechanisms underlying the speed-accuracy trade-off.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Physiological
  • Adult
  • Biomechanical Phenomena*
  • Humans
  • Linear Models
  • Models, Neurological
  • Models, Statistical
  • Models, Theoretical
  • Motor Skills
  • Movement / physiology*
  • Principal Component Analysis
  • Psychomotor Performance*
  • Regression Analysis
  • Time Factors