How individual vigor shapes human–human physical interaction

Abstract The speed of voluntary movements varies systematically, with some individuals moving consistently faster than others across different actions. These variations, conceptualized as vigor, reflect a time-effort-accuracy tradeoff in motor planning. How do two mechanically coupled partners with different individual vigors collaborate, e.g. to move a table together? Here, we show that such dyads coordinate goal-directed movements with minimal interaction force, exhibiting a dyadic vigor with similar characteristics as individual vigor. The emerging dyadic motor plan is strongly influenced by the slower partner, whose vigor predicts dyadic vigor, with effects lasting beyond practice. Computational modeling with stochastic optimal control reveals the critical role of partners’ movement timing’s uncertainty and vigor in shaping coordination, allowing to predict dyadic movements from individual behavior across diverse conditions. These findings shed light on the mechanisms underlying human collaboration, and may be used in applications ranging from physical training and rehabilitation to collaborative robotics for manufacturing.