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