Previous research investigating the dynamical processes
supporting coordinated joint action has typically used nongoal-
directed tasks. The present study expands on this
research by investigating the coordination that emerges
among pairs in a complex, goal-directed task of herding
virtual sheep to the center of a field. The results revealed that
the majority of pairs converged on the same stable movement
coordination strategy in order to complete the task. This
strategy involved pairs moving in an in-phase or anti-phase
oscillatory pattern around the sheep. By adopting this strategy
pairs formed an interpersonal synergy. Interestingly, the
strength of this synergy was modulated by the number of
sheep being herded. More specifically, more dimensional
compression was observed among pairs when herding the 7-
sheep compared to herding 3 or 5 sheep. The implications of
these results for understanding how task difficulty and
mutually defined environmental co-regulation influenced the
behavioral dynamics of coordinated joint-action are
discussed.