Motor Learning Flashcards
What is motor learning?
Motor Learning: A set of processes associated with practice or experience leading to relatively permanent changes in the capacity for skilled movement.
What are the four characteristics of motor learning?
1) Learning is a process of acquiring the capacity for skilled actions.
2) Learning occurs as a result of practice.
3) Learning cannot be observed directly; it is inferred from behavior.
4) Learning must be relatively permanent.
What does motor learning include?
It includes how individuals solve functional tasks in specific environments and the recovery of function following neurological pathology.
What are the two main forms of learning?
- Declarative (explicit)
- Nondeclarative (implicit)
What is declarative (explicit) learning?
Declarative (Explicit) Learning:
Knowledge of facts, events, or steps needed to complete a task that can be consciously recalled and requires awareness and attention.
What brain areas are involved in explicit learning?
- hippocampus
- prefrontal cortex
- medial temporal lobe
What is nondeclarative (implicit) learning?
Nondeclarative (Implicit) Learning:
- Skills and habits; procedural learning
What brain areas are involved in implicit learning?
Cerebellum and basal ganglia.
What are the stages of Fitts and Posner’s model of motor learning?
- Cognitive
- Associative
- Autonomous
What happens in the cognitive stage of motor learning?
Cognitive Stage:
- Learner develops an understanding of the task, needs a lot of attention and conscious thought, and makes many errors.
What happens in the associative stage of motor learning?
Associative Stage:
- Learner practices and refines movement patterns, makes fewer errors, and relies more on proprioceptive feedback.
What happens in the autonomous stage of motor learning?
Autonomous Stage:
- Learner’s movements are efficient and automatic, can perform the skill in various environments with minimal cognitive effort.
What strategies can enhance motor learning?
- Motivation
- Practice
- Feedback
- Transfer of training
How can motivation be used to enhance motor learning?
By linking tasks to patient’s goals, providing choices in practice, and highlighting a growth mindset.
Why is practice important for motor learning?
- Increased practice leads to increased learning.
- Repetition, intensity, and the use of practice parameters matter.
What is the difference between performance and retention?
Performance is the ability to complete a skill temporarily, while retention indicates relatively permanent change and true motor learning.
What is massed practice?
Massed Practice:
- The practice time is much longer than the rest time.
What is distributed practice?
Distributed Practice:
- Spaced practice intervals where practice time is often less than rest time.
What is variable practice?
variable practice
- The task and environment are different for each trial, essential for tasks typically performed in variable conditions.
What is blocked practice order?
blocked order
Repeated practice of a task uninterrupted by another task (e.g., AAA BBB CCC).
low contextual interference
What is serial practice order?
Predictable and repeating order of practice.
e.g., ABC ABC ABC
What is a closed skill/environment?
Skills performed in a stable and predictable environment.
e.g., walking in a quiet hall
What is an open skill/environment?
Skills performed in a constantly changing and unpredictable environment (e.g., walking down a sidewalk).
What is parts-whole practice?
Practicing component parts of a task before practicing the whole task.
What is concurrent feedback?
Feedback given during task performance.
What is constant feedback?
Feedback given after every practice trial, quickly improves performance but can slow retention.
What is variable feedback?
Feedback not given after every trial, may slow acquisition initially but improves retention.
What is knowledge of performance feedback?
Feedback about the nature and quality of the movement pattern.
What is knowledge of results feedback?
Feedback about the end result or overall outcome of the movement related to the movement’s goal.
What is transfer of learning?
The gain or loss in task performance as a result of practice or experience in some other tasks.
Why are errors important in motor learning?
Errors drive the formation of internal models and feedforward control, promoting learning unless there is a safety concern.
