Executing, Understanding and Controlling Joint Activity

The chapter applies motor control theory to cooperative joint activities such as shaking hands. We develop the theory by considering control of individual hand movement, then interpretation of one's partner's hand movement and finally the execution and control of the hand shake as a joint activity. The theory depends on using forward and inverse models to control the movement by comparing predictions with outcomes. When applied to interacting individuals the forward models combine predictions about self and other movement to control the joint activity.