The relationship of preferred tempo and intra-subject temporal consistency to the performance of a serial movement task in a stationary and moving environment

The purpose of this study was to investigate the nature of the relationship between preferred tempo (PT), and intra-subject temporal consistency (TC), and the performance of a serial movement task requiring total body movement to project an object in a stationary and moving environment. The individual components in the serial task (moving to kick a soccer ball) were identified as: (a) continuous in the approach phase, and (b) discrete in the kicking phase.

Ss (female = 8, male = 12) were videotaped while kicking a stationary ball (closed), and a moving ball (open), to a stationary target with a numbered grid. Using frame by frame analysis, the time was recorded (.01 sec) to indicate total movement time, approach phase time, and kicking phase time for each kick. For each task, the means (to indicate PT) and standard deviations (to indicate intra-subject TC) were calculated for the three times. The total goal attainment score and standard deviation of each S's score were also recorded.

Each S performed the total and approach phase times, for both closed and open tasks, at a PT which was different than that of other individuals. However, Ss tended to perform the kicking phase in both environments at PTs which were not different from that of other individuals. Ss did not demonstrate a significant difference in intra-subject TC or PT between the approach phases of the two tasks. Although each subject performed the kicking phases at about the same PT, they tended to perform the kicking phase for the closed task more consistently than for the open task.

No significant relationships were found between intra-subject TC or PT and: • (a) a higher total goal attainment score, or (b) the consistency of individual scoring. In the approach phase of the open task, Ss with faster PTs tended to be more consistent. In the kicking phase of the closed task, Ss with slower PTs tended to be more consistent. Significant sex differences were not found except that in the open task females tended to take more steps in the approach phase, and have slower PTs in the kicking phase. It was concluded that, although the environmental conditions did not alter a S's PT or TC in the approach phase (continuous), the environmental demands made a significant difference in the intra-subject TC of the kicking phase (discrete).