CH 9- MOTOR LEARNING CONCEPTS + RESEARCH METHODS

Question 1

____ is the foundation for us to exist + survive

Answer 1

learning

Question 1

____ + ____ have a fundamental impact on our ability to survive

Answer 1

experiences + practices

Question 2

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4 distinct characteristics of motor learning

Answer 2

-learning is a process of acquiring the capability for producing skilled actions
-learning occurs as a direct result of practice/experience
-learning cannot be observed directly
-learning is assumed to produce relatively permanent changes in the capability for skilled behavior

Question 3

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motor learning

Answer 3

a set of processes associated with practice or experience leading to relatively permanent changes in the capability for skilled movement

Question 4

synthesizing motor learning definition

1. motor learning is a set of processes

Answer 4

-process: set of events/occurrences that lead to some particular product, state, or change when taken together
-aka, transforming what we visually acquire to provide meaning when reading text
-aka, motor learning: focuses on processes to retrieve a motor program from memory
-aka, physiology: processes that result in muscle hypertrophy

Question 5

synthesizing motor learning definition

2.learning produces an acquired capability for skilled movement

Answer 5

-processes involved in learning generates/results in a product/internal state
-state is increased capability for moving skillfully in a given situation (aka I need practice + become better at that thing)
-practice is to increase strength/quality of the internal state, so capability for skill is maximized in the future
-beyond just maturation or physiological training

Question 6

synthesizing motor learning definition

3.motor learning is not directly observable

Answer 6

-the processes that underlie changes in capability are complex
-changes in the CNS: functional connectivity between sensorimotor processing areas in brain or changes in patterning of muscular action
-infer their existence based on behavioral changes

Question 7

synthesizing motor learning definition

4.motor learning is relatively permanent

Answer 7

-lasting situation with practice + learning of an activity
-learning changes the learner in a relatively permanent way
-skills may improve with the right mood or drug administration
* disappearance of skill, wearing off of enhancement -> temporary
* thus, these aren’t changes in behavior due to motor learning

-analogy: motor learning is permanent just how grilling a steak is
* cooling water -> ice (solid state); reverse with heat -> liquid
* grilling a steak for 10 minutes -> non-reversible situation when cooled

Question 8

motor adaptation

Answer 8

-trial-to-trial modification of a movement based on error feedback in which criteria are met
*these are context dependent + very specific to the environment

Question 9

motor adaptation

1. the movement retains its identify of being a specific action but changes in terms of one or more parameters

Answer 9

ex: walking on ice -> I get feedback that says “when you walk + put your step here + there, you are off balance” -> I will learn + adapt my behavior to not forget how to walk but I simply walk more cautiously than normal, maybe with shorter strides

Question 10

motor adaptation

2.the change occurs with repetition or practice of the behavior + is gradual over minutes to hours

Answer 10

ex: I need a few trials when walking on ice -> I don’t immediately start walking on the ice + know that it is slippery; it takes a few trials to know it will impact my walk in some way

Question 11

motor adaptation

3.once adapted, the performer doesn’t exhibit the prior behavior. Rather, the after-effects are revealed. De-adaptation in the same gradual, continuous manner result in return to the initial state

Answer 11

ex: after adapting, I will be very cautious -> however, we now experience de-adaptation in the same gradual way when we get back on normal ground -> I must realize I am no longer on ice + change my walk back to normal

Question 12

motor learning/adaptation is transient, while motor learning/adaptation is relatively permanent

Answer 12

-motor adaptation is transient
-motor learning is relatively permanent

Question 13

motor learning/adaptation allows for flexible control that enables transience but predictable changes in task demands
-aka, I can modify how I am moving + responding to environment

Answer 13

motor adaptation

Question 14

in rehabilitation, what do we use

Answer 14

we have flexible scenarios that allow for patients to modify their movements however they may need in order to be successful in a task

-ex: split-belt treadmills: subject has a treadmill with different speeds for each foot; they must adapt their feet to walk more symmetrical

Question 15

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performance curves

Answer 15

-practice a motor task; performance is graphed as a function of the trials completed
-when measurement of performance is error, there is usually a decrease with practice

Question 16

Fleishman + Rich, 1963

Answer 16

-subjects must do a 2-hand coordination task, where they follow a moving target through movements of the 2 crank angles they had access to (1 crank was moving forward/backward the other was moving L/R); time on target was recorded for 20 subjects + recorded for blocks on four 1-minute trials

-moving from L to R, there was clear trend where subjects improved with practice; the more practice the subjects has the better they got, improvement was rapid at first then leveled off

Question 17

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measuring performance

Answer 17

skilled performance (NOT the capability to move skillfully) is usually plotted as a function of trials vs. performance

-we say performance/learning curve reflects the internal state or amount of habit
-performance curves reflect both momentary changes in performance + relatively permanent consequences of practice
-there is between + within participant variability
o Insensitivity between individual differences may arise; interpret with caution
-ex: the graph on the slide (shown below)…

Question 18

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ceiling + floor effects

Answer 18

limitations in score at the top or bottom of the scale
-rate of progress toward a ceiling/floor is often arbitrary + depends on measurement methods

Question 19

example of ceiling + floor effects

Answer 19

subjects are trying to type a word on a keyboard really fast + have previously learned how to use a keyboard

-in 1st trial or 2 subjects might be really slow to type, but will get faster as they practice + won’t have much room to improve; they will get to their 100% capability pretty quickly when it is only a simple task
-this is a ceiling effect because we will see improvements almost right away; they might also have floor effects, where they will hit a baseline really quickly

Question 20

2 instances where ceiling/floor effects occur

Answer 20

-simple tasks- learn + maximize within a few trials/attempts
-particular types of complex tasks- so well practiced/automatic

Question 21

Bahrick, Fitts, + Briggs, 1957

Answer 21

-25 men were on a continuous tracking task for 10 90-second practice trials
-the patterns of movement were recorded + analyzed in 3 ways (each way varied by width of track with 5%, 15%, or 30% width of approval)
-important to be transparent with the % leniency used for scoring

Question 22

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implications + limitations of study design

Answer 22

-how do independent variables impact learning? (maximize, impair, or no effect?)
-development of useful theories of learning + practical applications in teachings
-how do we go about deciding whether a given variable influences learning or not? (ex: comparing a new method to a traditional, older method)

Question 23

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retention tests

Answer 23

tests involving the same task as practice
-evaluate the extent of skill retained over a retention interval

Question 24

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transfer tests

Answer 24

tests involving new variations of tasks practiced in acquisition (involving new tasks that haven’t been practiced before)

Question 25

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2 categories of experimental variables

Answer 25

-performance
-learning

Question 26

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performance

Answer 26

-temporary influence
-has effects on performance WHILE present
-effect is altered when level is altered during + with transfer
-influences performance in non-permanent way

Question 27

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learning

Answer 27

-affects performance AFTER removed
-relatively permanent influence

Question 28

effort

Answer 28

simultaneous physiological measures (oxygen consumption, pupil dilation) show that effort reduces even when an individual is overlearning something

-as a motor skill is learned, more efficient methods are established (muscle movement + information processing)

Question 29

generalizability

Answer 29

extent to which practice on 1 task contributes to the performance of other related skills

-capability to perform a task is not based on just a particular movement
-instead, we measure effectiveness of practice on particular skills practiced + performance improvement on similar skills not practiced directly

Question 30

summary

motor learning is defined by ____

Answer 30

distinct characteristics

Question 31

summary

measuring motor learning is done through ____

Answer 31

transfer + retention design

Question 32

summary

comparing motor learning must be done ____

Answer 32

meticulously