Motor Learning Flashcards
Lecture 26/27
What is the most commonly used force environment for adapting reaching movements?
-velocity dependent
-force applied perpendicular to hand motion
Initially when a force is applied to arm movement…
notice deviation to deal w/ load
As you learn/adapt to a force applied to arm…
-compensation occurs and accurate movements occur
Adaptation is
a) generalizable
b) local and specific
-local and specific: trained to specific targets
-decays as a function of spatial difference
Which task involves using a mouse cursor to test motor learning?
Pursuit Rotor Tracking Task (Adams 1952)
-aim to keep the cursor on target and it moves in a circle
Warm-up Decrement
-decreased performance after a period w/ no practice
-tends to disappear after a few trial
-related to reverting to baseline
Savings of learning
-rate of relearning a motor skill is faster than the rate of initial learning
Transfer of learning
-how learning in one task/setting carries over to performance in an alternate task/setting
Specialized transfer
-practicing exact task, in basically exact setting
Example of a specialized transfer
-free throw in basketball
-no opponents to interfere
-no change in terrain/net height
Generalized transfer
-can be near or far
Near transfer
-perform target movement in target context
-b/c open skills cannot be practiced directly (uncertainty of environment)
Example of near (generalized) transfer
-machine shooting randomized tennis shots
-same movement response, but defender shots change
-shoot out (hockey)
Far transfer
-development of general motor skills
-does not require target movement to be performed in target environment
Example of far (generalized) transfer
-pulling a weight sled
Factors that impact transfer of learning
1) movement pattern (similar to comp?)
2) sensory/perceptual elements (loud/quiet/stressful)
3) strategic/conceptual similarities (similar logical/strategic thinking)
Transfer of perceptual skills
-use sensory feedback to guide and control actions
Example of transfer of perceptual skills
-catch fly ball (baseball) could transfer to catching football pass
Transfer of similar movement patterns
-on the gross level
Example of transfer of similar movement patterns
-pulling a weight sled (use legs) to propel you forward
-transfer to skating
Transfer of conceptual elements
-high level strategies
-positioning
-defense/offense
Example of transfer of conceptual elements
-defense strategy in hockey and basketball (zone/man)
Conceptual elements
-deal w/ rules, principles, guidelines, or strategies of performance
Specialized transfer deals more with _________ skills
closed (can be practiced directly)
Generalized transfer deals more with ____________ skills
open (must transfer from practice to game)
Retention interval
-period of time where no practice is undertaken
What may impede performance after a retention interval
motor forgetting
Discrete motor skills
-brief actions
-well defined beginning and end
Serial motor skills
-group of discrete skills (strung together to make more complex skill)
Continuous motor skills
-repetitive w/ no clear beginning/end
Which motor skills seem to be less affected by long retention intervals?
Continuous (repetitive by nature)
Part-practice
-practice sub-units in isolation
Example of part practice
-swimmers practice upper and lower limb strokes in isolation
Whole practice
-practice whole skill/sequence of movement in their entirety
Example of whole practice
-golfers practicing swing as entire movement
Component interaction
-extent to which actions in one part of a skill influence action in another
-maximize movement speed, fluidity or power, minimizing energy demand
If component interaction is minimal…
-parts are relatively independent
-part practice is effective
If component interaction is high
-part practice is ineffective
Progressive part practice
-method for learning complex skill
1) break down into parts
2) practice individually (isolated)
3) gradually combine
Classical conditioning
-learned/reinforced response that is evoked by a stimulus
Psychology experiment to explain classical conditioning
-Pavlov’s dog
-associated bell w/ eating (therefore drooled in response)
Reinforcement
-increases behavior
Punishment
-decreases behavior
Positive
-add something
Negative
-take away
EX: giving cand
-positive reinforcement
R: do good (get want)
(+): give something
EX: writing lines
-positive punishment
P: bad (chasten)
(+): give something
EX: Take away recess
-negative punishment
P: bad (chasten)
(-): take away
EX: take away homework
-negative reinforcement
R: do good (get want)
(-): take away
Process of reinforcement learning
-learning to link reward w/ specific actions (and their outcomes)… so they become repeated
Reward feedback can be…
1) binary- reward or not
2) scalar- relative to action/outcome
Learning using reward
-repeat action until it is associated w/ success
What is the goal of reinforcement learning?
MAXIMIZE REWARD, minimize loss
Cumulative reward
-sacrifice immediate reward for long term
EX. chess, investments
Exploration
-trial and error process
-inquire more info about environment by searching possibilities
-searching to maximize reward
Exploitation
-capitalizing on known information to maximize reward
-taking advantage of what works best
EX: Shoot low to score goals
Exploitation
EX: Fin out goaltender is weak low
Exploration
Dopamine
-neurotransmitter related to intrinsic reward system
Where is dopamine produced?
Substantia nigra
Dopamine provides input to ________?
Striatum: learning from reward, and strengthening the representation of specific actions
Serial actions before training:
-independent movements
-very little temporal overlap
Serial actions after training:
-strung together in sequences
Effect of training/learning on serial actions:
-produces quicker sequences
-less errors
-smoother, linked together
Chunking
-fusing individual elements into a larger subunit
Co-articulation
-blending of discrete movements within a sequence
-results in increase in speed/smoothness
Does sequence learning alter processing?
Yes, in several sensory and brain areas
Which parts of the brain are associated w/ premotor planning and learning?
1) Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex
2) Inferior Parietal Cortex
3) Rostral Premotor Areas
Brain region responsible for strategizing and action selection
dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Brain region responsible for processing visual and somatosensory info
inferior parietal cortex
Brain region responsible for planning motor actions
rostral premotor areas
Purpose of cerebellum
-detecting and correcting errors
Basal ganglia
-“add” reward
Brain regions activated in later stages of learning
-supplementary motor area (SMA)
-dorsal premotor area
-primary motor cortex
Brain region associated w/ motor planning (later)
dorsal premotor area
Brain region responsible for sending AP down spine (producing motor actions)
primary motor cortex
Brain region responsible for storing motor plans
supplementary motor area (SMA)
Portions of brain associated w/ early learning
ASSOSIATIVE/PREMOTOR NETWORK:
-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
-inferior parietal cortex
-rostral premotor areas
-cerebellar cortex
-caudate nucleus
Portions of brain associated w/ late learning
SENSIMOTOR NETWORK:
-primary motor cortex
-dorsal premotor cortex
-supplementary motor area
-dentate nucleus
-putamen
Early learning requires…
“NOVICE”
-high cognitive demand
-conscious processing
Late learning requires…
“EXPERT”
-low cognitive demand
-automatic processing
