Effects of movement advance information were assessed
on the prestimulus amplitude of the lateralized readiness
potential (LRP), on the contingent negative variation (CNV),
and on reaction time (RT). In a precuing paradigm with
movement parameters hand, direction, and force, partial
precues provided advance information about either hand
alone, hand plus force, or hand plus direction, and the
full precue specified all response parameters. The full
precue produced the shortest RTs and the largest CNV amplitude,
precuing hand and force or hand and movement direction
produced somewhat slower RTs and a somewhat smaller CNV
amplitude, and precuing only hand yielded slowest RTs and
the smallest CNV amplitude. In contrast, the LRP amplitude
was largest for the full precue and was the same for the
remaining precues. The CNV appears to index the central
assembling of a motor program, and the LRP represents the
implementation of the program at more peripheral levels.