Citation

Beek PJ, Turvey MT. J. Exp. Psychol. Hum. Percept. Perform. 1992; 18(4): 934-947.

Affiliation

Faculty of Human Movement Sciences, Free University, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1992, American Psychological Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1431756

Abstract

A key variable in cascade juggling is the proportion of time that a juggler holds onto a juggled object during a hand cycle, that is, the time from catch to throw in relation to the time from catch to catch. Space-time constraints and principles of frequency locking suggest 3/4 as the primary ratio and 2/3 and 5/8 as the most accessible options. In 5 experiments, object number, mass, and type (ball or scarf) were manipulated together with the frequency at which the objects were juggled. With 5 or 7 balls, the ratio was 3/4, independent of frequency. With 3 balls, the ratio decreased with frequency, with 3/4, 2/3, and 5/8 tending to predominate independently of the force variations induced by variation in object mass. With 3 scarves, ratios varied inversely with frequency and often exceeded 3/4. Implications for a dynamical theory of juggling were discussed with the issue of relative timing in coordination and the manipulation of task constraints as an experimental strategy.

Language: en