Short-term memory effects of an auditory biofeedback on isometric force control: Is there a differential effect as a function of transition trials?

TL;DR

This study examined how auditory biofeedback influences short-term memory effects, force accuracy, and variability during isometric force tasks, revealing that a leaky memory buffer affects force maintenance regardless of biofeedback transitions.

Contribution

It demonstrates that force drift occurs independently of short-term memory processes and highlights the role of a leaky memory buffer influenced by the sense of effort.

Findings

Force drift in no biofeedback condition suggests a leaky memory buffer.

Accuracy and variability depend on transition type.

Memory buffer appears independent of short-term memory processes.

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate memory effects, force accuracy, and variability during constant isometric force at different force levels, using auditory biofeedback. Two types of transition trials were used: a biofeedback-no biofeedback transition trial and a no biofeedback-biofeedback transition trial. The auditory biofeedback produced a low- or high-pitched sound when participants produced an isometric force lower or higher than required, respectively. To achieve this goal, 16 participants were asked to produce and maintain two different isometric forces (30$\pm$5% and 90N$\pm$5%) during 25s. Constant error and standard deviation of the isometric force were calculated. While accuracy and variability of the isometric force varied according to the transition trial, a drift of the force appeared in the no biofeedback condition. This result suggested that the degradation of information about force output in the no biofeedback condition was provided by a leaky memory buffer which was mainly dependent on the sense of effort. Because this drift remained constant whatever the transition used, this memory buffer seemed to be independent of short-term memory processes.