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Order Parameter Dynamics of Body-scaled Hysteresis and Mode Transitions in Grasping Behavior

Journal of Biological Physics volume 35, pages 127–147 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Several experimental studies have shown that human grasping behavior exhibits a transition from one-handed to two-handed grasping when to-be-grasped objects become larger and larger. The transition point depends on the relative size of objects measured in terms of human body-scales. Most strikingly, the transitions between the two different behavioral ‘modes’ of grasping exhibit hysteresis. That is, one-to-two hand transitions and two-to-one hand transitions occur at different relative object sizes when objects are scaled up or down in size. In our study we approach body-scaled hysteresis and mode transitions in grasping by exploiting the notion that human behavior in general results from self-organization and satisfies appropriately-defined order parameter equations. To this end, grasping transitions and grasping hysteresis are discussed from a theoretical perspective in analogy to cognitive processes defined by Haken’s neural network model for pattern recognition. In doing so, issues such as the exclusivity of grasping modes, biomechanical constraints, mode-mode interactions, single subject behavior and population behavior are explored.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Center for the Ecological Study of Perception and Action, Department of Psychology, 406 Babbidge Road, Unit 1020, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

    T. D. Frank, Stacy M. Lopresti-Goodman & M. T. Turvey

  2. Department of Psychology, Colby College, Mayflower Hill, Waterville, ME, 04901, USA

    M. J. Richardson

  3. Haskins Laboratories, New Haven, CT, 06510, USA

    M. T. Turvey

Authors
  1. T. D. Frank
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  2. M. J. Richardson
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  3. Stacy M. Lopresti-Goodman
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  4. M. T. Turvey
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Correspondence to T. D. Frank.

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Frank, T.D., Richardson, M.J., Lopresti-Goodman, S.M. et al. Order Parameter Dynamics of Body-scaled Hysteresis and Mode Transitions in Grasping Behavior. J Biol Phys 35, 127–147 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-009-9133-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10867-009-9133-4

Keywords

  • Order parameters
  • Hysteresis
  • Grasping