Lec 15 - Skill Acquisition, Retention And Trsanfer

Question 1

What makes practice effective?

Answer 1

Effective practice involves exploring and refining techniques, not just repeating movements.

Question 2

Why is repetition alone not enough for learning?

Answer 2

Repetition focuses on duplicating actions, but learning requires problem-solving and optimizing techniques.

Question 3

What is the specificity of practice?

Answer 3

Learning is context-specific; skills practiced in one environment may not transfer to others.

Question 4

Why is variability important in practice?

Answer 4

Variability helps learners explore movement solutions and optimize techniques for different contexts.

Question 5

What is the difference between learning and performance during practice?

Answer 5

Learning: Long-term skill improvement.

Performance: Temporary success that may not reflect true learning.

Question 6

How can practice balance learning and performance?

Answer 6

Alternate between sessions focused on exploration (learning) and sessions focused on executing the target skill (performance).

Question 7

Why might driving range practice not transfer well to real golf?

Answer 7

It focuses on repetition in ideal conditions (flat surfaces, no obstacles) without addressing real-game variability.

Question 8

What are the benefits of practice?

Answer 8

Improves perceptual skills (e.g., recognizing task-relevant info).

Reduces attentional demands for complex tasks.

Develops efficient motor programs.

Enhances error detection and self-correction.

Question 9

How does practice reduce attentional demands?

Answer 9

With practice, less attention is needed to perform a skill, freeing up cognitive resources.

Question 10

What is the gearshift analogy for motor programs?

Answer 10

Like a gearshift, one motor program can control multiple, complex movements smoothly after practice.

Question 11

What are Fitts’ three stages of learning?

Answer 11

Cognitive Stage: Focus on understanding and verbalizing the task.

Fixation Stage: Refine movements and reduce variability.

Autonomous Stage: Automatic, efficient performance with minimal attention.

Question 12

What are Bernstein’s three stages of learning?

Answer 12

Reduce Degrees of Freedom: Simplify movements by freezing unnecessary body parts.

Release Degrees of Freedom: Free up body parts for efficient movement.

Exploit Passive Dynamics: Use natural forces like gravity and momentum for efficiency.

Question 13

What does “Reduce Degrees of Freedom” mean?

Answer 13

It simplifies control by limiting the movement of non-essential body parts.

Question 14

How does practice improve error detection?

Answer 14

Learners become better at identifying and analyzing their own errors, fostering self-sufficiency.

Question 15

What happens to learning under stress?

Answer 15

Performance may regress to earlier stages, like the cognitive stage, due to the effects of stress or long breaks.

Question 16

Why is real-world simulation important in practice?

Answer 16

Skills transfer better when practice closely mimics real-world conditions.

Question 17

How does practice reduce effector competition?

Answer 17

Practice minimizes interference between limbs in bimanual tasks, improving motor plans for complex movements.

Question 18

What is the takeaway from Bernstein’s and Fitts’ stages?

Answer 18

Stages of learning are not discrete or unidirectional; progress is fluid and can regress under certain conditions.

Question 19

Why is performance not the best measure of learning?

Answer 19

Performance during practice can fluctuate due to temporary factors and doesn’t always reflect long-term learning.

Question 20

What are practical implications of this lecture?

Answer 20

Design practice to simulate real-world conditions.

Include variability to encourage exploration.

Distinguish temporary performance from true learning.