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Scientific Writing BBS1004 (Fitts Law)
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The effect of gender and handedness on motorperformance
Name
ID:
Tutorial group …
Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences (FHML)
Maastricht University
Course BBS1004
Date:
, Introduction gender. A study done by V. Bianco (2019)
Motor performance is one’s ability to efficiently studied the intersexual differences in the speed
control motor processes, which are essential for accuracy trade-off in 120 participants. The
movement of the body. The motor performance experiment showed that males tend to prioritize
of an individual can be viewed as an indicator speed over accuracy, whilst the opposite was the
that expresses the degree of motor functioning. case for females [4]. These findings are
Paul Fitts, an American scientist, came up with a supported by a study that was performed by L.E
test in order to measure the level of motor Rohr (2006), which also found that males tend to
performance, also referred to as the reciprocal choose speed and females tend to choose
tapping test. The reciprocal tapping test revolved accuracy [5]. The second factor that influences
around the tapping of two dots on a screen for a motor performance is handedness. Handedness is
certain period of time, with each following the preference for using one hand over the other.
sequence containing differing sizes or distances Studies have shown that handedness can affect
between the dots. The execution of this test the index of performance in Fitts' Law tasks,
resulted in Fitts’ law, which is known for with right-handed individuals generally
describing the “speed-accuracy trade-off”. The performing better than left-handed individuals
Fitts' Law formula is ID = log2(2A/W), where ID [6]. This phenomenon is because handedness has
is the index of difficulty, A is the amplitude or been linked to the cerebral hemispheres of the
distance of the movement, and W is the width of brain, which are responsible for controlling
the target [1]. The index of difficulty represents movement and processing sensory information. It
the level of challenge of the task, with higher is believed that the dominant hemisphere of the
values indicating more difficult tasks. The two brain is responsible for controlling the dominant
components that depict the speed and accuracy hand in most individuals. The left hemisphere is
of the test subject are the movement time (MT) primarily involved in open loop control, which
and the variable error (VE). The MT shows the relies on pre-determined motor programs,
speed of the movements, which is calculated by whereas the right hemisphere is mostly engaged
a+ b ∙ ID=MT , with a being the slope and b in closed-loop control of movements, which
being the intercept of the equation. Both depends on the processing of feedback
variables are parameters that are adjusted to fit information. As a result, the left hemisphere is
the data. The VE shows the accuracy of the better suited for motor skills requiring bimanual
movements, which can be calculated by the coordination or those involving each hand
within-subject standard deviation of the separately [7]. Understanding the impact of
movement endpoints of the target. A larger VE handedness and gender on motor performance
means there is a larger dispersion, therefore there can have important implications for designing
is less accuracy in the movement compared to a interventions to improve motor skills in
smaller VE [2]. Fitts' Law has many practical individuals with different handedness
applications, including in the design of human- preferences and sexes. The aim of this study is to
computer interfaces, video games, and industrial explore the effects of handedness on the index of
equipment. It is also used in sports training, performance in the Fitts' Law task and
rehabilitation, and occupational therapy to assess investigate whether this effect is dependent on
and improve motor performance. The practical the sex of the participant, within first year
application of Fitts’ law also plays an important biomedical sciences students.
role in the inventions of new methods regarding
the tracking of motor skill learning [3]. Methods
The population that was used to investigate the
Many studies are conducted regarding possible influence of gender and handedness in regards to
factors that influence motor performance and the motor performance was 1115 first year
speed-accuracy trade-off. The first factor that biomedical students, which study at the
shows a difference in motor performance is University of Maastricht. The data concerning
2
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