Symmetry and the dynamics of interpersonal coordination

Interpersonal coordination has been examined from the perspective of the coupled oscillators. Schmidt and O’Brien introduced the relative phase region analysis to our understanding of interpersonal coordination. This chapter focuses on distances of 2.73.0 metres to fully analyse phase transitions. The phase transition phenomenon investigating behavioural dynamics in cooperative tasks can also be observed in competitive kendo matches. The dynamics in a competitive coordination task such as martial arts differs from that in a coordination task, and we need to focus on the behaviour that emerges from competition. Interpersonal distance is a key variable for both a partial system and a whole system in efforts to understand the dynamics of martial arts, suggesting that research regarding interpersonal coordination is also relevant to part-whole relations. The chapter discusses the movement that one observe during sporting activities appear to be complex continuous phenomena.