Transfer of Learning

Question 1

Transfer of Learning defined

Answer 1

the gain (or loss) in proficiency of one skill as a result of practice on some other skill

Question 2

Measuring Transfer of Learning: Percentage Transfer

Answer 2

-consider gains as a percentage of difference between experimental and control groups
-Percent transfer = [(X-Y)/(X+Y)] x 100
X = performance on first trial for experimental group
Y = performance on first trial for control group
-negative values means transfer did occur for error

Question 3

Measuring Transfer of Learning: Savings Score

Answer 3

• how much practice was saved?
• how much practice did you save on Task B by having done Task A first?
• look at experimental group on trial 1 - how long did it take control group to reach that performance level?

Question 4

Positive Transfer

Answer 4

beneficial effect of previous experience on learning or performance

• doing task A will help better task B
• explained by Identical elements theory or Transfer-appropriate processing theory

Question 5

Negative Transfer

Answer 5

negative effect of prior experience on performance of a skill so a person performs the skill less well than he or she would have without prior experience

• doing task A will make experimental group worse at task B than control group
• explained by perception-action coupling of cognitive confusion

Question 6

Identical elements theory

Answer 6

explains positive transfer of learning

• similarity ot skill and context components
• when two tasks require you to make the same types of movement

Question 7

Transfer-appropriate processing theory

Answer 7

explains positive transfer of learning

• similarity of processing requirements
• movements are less important - depends on kind of info processing and how you take in sensory info and respond to it (ie. hockey and soccer goalie)

Question 8

Explaining negative transfer

Answer 8

occurs when environmental context characteristics of two performance situations are similar, but movement characteristics are different

• change in spatial location (ie. manual gears set up differently in different cars)
• change in the timing structure of the movement (ie. learning “bad habits”)

Question 9

Perception action coupling

Answer 9

explains negative transfer effects

• memory representations developed as a result of learning a skill
• perform the wrong skill
• previously couple a stimulus with a particular response; response may need to change wtih same stimulus

Question 10

cognitive confusion

Answer 10

explains negative transfer effects

• perform correct skill in the wrong location
• something about location has changed
• ie. keys swapped around on a keyboard

Question 11

Bilateral transfer

Answer 11

practicing with one limb improves performance of the other limb

• symmetric: same amount of transfer from L to R as R to L
• dominance can be task dependent: spatial tasks = better to practice with non-dominant; force tasks = better to practice with dominant

Question 12

Explaining bilateral transfer

Answer 12

cognitive problem solving
-problem solving with one limb creates a strategy that you can use with the other limb
generalized motor program
-use motor parameters for both limbs; neuromotor systems to send same command to either limb