How movement amplitude modulates preferred tempo

The current study examined how movement amplitude modulates preferred tempo in a finger tapping paradigm to test a preferred velocity account of the preferred tempo construct. The preferred velocity hypothesis proposes that preferred tempo does not represent a pure time preference per se, but rather reflects a preferred movement velocity, predicting a dependence of preferred tempo on movement amplitude. Participants completed unpaced finger tapping tasks that separately assessed participants’ spontaneous (preferred) movement amplitude (SMA task) and their spontaneous preferred tempo (SMT task). Preferred tempo was then also measured for three target amplitudes (10, 30, 50 mm). Participants (1) produced similar amplitudes and tempi regardless of instructions to produce either their preferred amplitude or tempo, maintaining a constant movement velocity and (2) altered their preferred tempo for different target amplitudes in the direction predicted by their estimated preferred velocity based on their performance on the SMA and SMT tasks. Overall, results support the preferred velocity hypothesis and the interdependence of movement amplitude and time in assessments of preferred tempo.