Searching in Redundant Tasks: Emergence of Task-Synergies in Motor Learning

A common observation in motor behavior is that humans demonstrate coordination patterns in their movements that can self-compensate to maintain a given action result – i.e. they demonstrate task synergies. The literature, based on traditional group-based analyses, postulates single and monotonic paths of change in how these synergies emerge from practice. Based on the search strategies approach literature, common paths of change in motor learning are rare given individuals start and change differently and the tasks are redundant. Thus, we explored if individuals demonstrate similar dynamics in synergy measures by reanalyzing the data of 15 individuals practicing a throwing task for five days. Our results failed to demonstrate the postulated dynamics. We discuss these findings considering how individuals use different strategies in interacting with the task and learning to perform task synergies. These outcomes invite further discussions and theorizing on motor learning dynamics.