Lecture 3.1 - Motor Learning

Question 1

What do product goals measure?

Answer 1

Measurements of accuracy, consistency, and dispersion.

Used to plot performance curves, NOT LEARNING CURVES, and see how well you did. Because learning….cannot be measured, but inferred… using retention/transfer tests.

Measures the end product.

Question 2

What does motor learning lead to?

Answer 2

Permanent gain in the CAPABILITY for skilled performance

Question 3

Ability vs capability

Answer 3

Ability is genetically predetermined and aids with skill acquisition

Capability is the reflection of the fact that a single performance may not reflect the actual skill level

Question 4

What is brain plasticity or neural plasticity?

Answer 4

CNS alterations through practice/learning.

Not directly observable - we can’t view the brain material.

These alterations are inferred from observing changes in performance and then testing if the changes are permanent through retention/transfer tests

Question 5

What are the improvements to each of the 3 stages of processing that occurs with neural plasticity?

Answer 5

Stimulus identification –> Get better at identifying stimuli and identify them more quickly (automacity), more time for the other stages

Response selection –> responses are much more appropriate and effective

Response programming –> Program programmed is improved

Question 6

What are other improvements due to brain plasticity?

Answer 6

More effective GMPs and effector processes

More accurate/precise feedback

Establish more accurate reference models of correctness to aid in movement

Effector has motor program, spine, and muscles. Proprioceptive feedback

Initiates the movement by activating the output after the executive does its 3 stages of processing.

Question 7

Measurement of learning

Process vs product goals

Answer 7

Process goals focus on the quality of movement production –> **Qualitative assessment: **how the movement is performed and the whole process in which it is performed and improved

Product goals focus on the end product/scores –> Quantitative assessment: measuring the outcome or final product, who cares about the process just how you got there

Question 8

What are the 3 primary measures of learning?

Answer 8

Measurement of accuracy, measurement of consistency, and measurement of dispersion.

Question 9

How does measurement of accuracy measure learning?

Answer 9

It assesses the constant (directional) error. The directional deviation from the target goal.

Uses formative and summative assessment.

**Formative assessment **occurs in the early stages and measures how an individual progresses.

**Summative assessment **occurs **later on **and shows how much an individual has learned by assessing their scores more closely.

Constant error is the mean of the trial scores, has a direction

Question 10

T or F: With practice, transient effects on performance with decrease proportionately

Answer 10

True

Question 11

T or F: Better recovery with reduce transient factors and performance will be more consistent

Answer 11

True

Question 12

Answer 12

Question 13

What error is measured when measuring consistency with motor learning?

Answer 13

Variable error - how inconsistent the scores were to the average or at producing the goal

Question 14

How is dispersion measured?

Answer 14

With standard deviation

Question 15

What are some limitations of performance curves?

Answer 15

• Performance curves plot performance bouts and not actual learning
• Plots average performance from each performance trial bout and not every individual one
• Due to only taking average of trials, may not accurately display the permanent capability of the skill

For general performance curves, it assumes everyone improves in a skill at the same rate – individual performance curves will vary a lot

Question 16

T or F: Only do retention/transfer tests when the performance plots are very good

Answer 16

False, do it on every time spectrum for better accuracy and knowledge of performance improvements

Question 17

Motor peformance ≠ motor learning

Answer 17

Yaaaaa

Question 18

Coaches want to know the practice conditions that maximize permanent changes/improvements, and enhance learning

Answer 18

True

Question 19

Practice is not always effective

Question 20

Criteria that show that learning has occurred?

Answer 20

1. Can their godly performance be repeated consistently? (repeatability)
2. Can their godly performance be done on a cold and rainy night in stoke/in different environments with many possible transient factors? (diversification)

Question 21

If movement does not result in correct movement, we can troubleshoot through?

Answer 21

Problem with the actual movement itself

Or

The outcome was not what we wanted