Motor Behavior - Motor Learning & Performance

Performance Outcomes from Learning

-Improvement (better at reaching goals of skill -Consistency (Stable performance) -Persistence (Increases Perseverance) -Adaptability (adapt to different performance contexts)

Characteristics Essential for Learning

-Internal, not directly observable -Associated with practice & experience -Relatively permanent -Habit

Performance Curves

-Linear -Negatively Accelerated -Positively Accelerated -Sigmoid

Performance

-Observable -Unstable

Factors Affecting Performance

-Within Subject Variability -Between Subject Variability -Measurement Sensitivity

Law of Practice

Usually performance changes are large & rapid at first, but become systematically smaller as practice continues

Performance

Performance curves are best used to measure this; measures improvement and consistency

Retention/Transfer Test Design

Acquisition Period -- No Practice Interval -- Retention/Transfer Test

Sigmoid ("S") Curve

Combination of performance curves; performance eventually plateaus

Linear Curve

Constant & steady increase in performance; proportional increase over time

Negatively Accelerated Curve

Early Improvement, but slows later on

Intra-Task Transfer

Examine quality of transfer of same skill to new situation or context

Inter-Task Transfer

Examine quality of transfer to a new skill completely

Transfer Test

Examines performance under a new situation or skill; assesses adaptability

Retention Test

Examines performance under same conditions as acquisition; assesses persistence

Performance Variables

Factors that affect performance temporarily, but not learning; motivation, arousal, fatigue, etc...

Inter-Limb Transfer

Influence of practice of a skill with 1 limb on contralateral limb; teach dominant first

Transfer of Learning

Influence of practice on one skill on performance of same skill in a new situation OR a new skill; universally applied principle of education and rehabilitiation

Retroactive

Interference from activities after task

Proactive

Interference from activities prior to task

Floor Effects

Limitations at the bottom of the scale

Ceiling Effects

Limitations at the top of the scale

Why is there bilateral Transfer

Motor Overflow - Inter-hemispheric overflow of motor commands GMP Parameterization - Change in limbs requires change in parameters for GMP

Zero Transfer

Previous Experience has no influence

Positive Transfer

Previous experience with a skill facilitates learning

Negative Transfer

Previous experience with a skill interferes with learning

Trace Decay

Representation of tasks in memory decay over time; Without rehearsal 50% gone after 1 hr. 60% gone after 9 hrs. 80 % gone after 1 month

Motor Learning

Set of internal processes associated with practice or experience leading to a relatively permanent change

Positively Accelerated Curve

Slight gains early, but great improvement later

Warm-Up Decrement

Start of a new session usually initially results in a performance decrease

Why is there positive Transfer

Thorndike -Similarity between skill components -Similarity of cognitive process