Discrete and continuous movements were assessed using finger-tapping and circle-drawing tasks, respectively, based on the synchronization-continuation paradigm. Materials and Method: Timing precision was evaluated in musicians, athletes and control participants. We examined whether movement-based expertise influences the timing mode adopted to maintain precise rhythmic actions. It has been proposed that the precision of discrete movements relies on event timing (clock mechanism), whereas continuous movements are controlled by emergent timing. Music performance involves discrete rhythmic actions that adhere to regular cycles of timed events, whereas many sports involve continuous movements that are not timed in a cyclical manner. Introduction: Movement-based expertise relies on precise timing of movements and the capacity to predict the timing of events. 3Department of Psychology, Ryerson University, Toronto, ON, Canada.2Department of Neuroscience and Behavior, Institute of Psychology, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.1Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.Thenille Braun Janzen 1,2, William Forde Thompson 1 *, Paolo Ammirante 3 and Ronald Ranvaud 2
