Motor Learning Revision

Part 1 : Motor Control Theory

Motor program based theory

Memory based construct that controls coordinated
movement.
Hierarchical oriented theory
Solve DOF freedom problem through motor program
Schmidt proposed that Generalized Motor
Program controls of action vs. Specific movement
Generalized motor program controls a class of
action
That contain invariant features & parameters
Invariant features fixed & not vary across
performances
Parameters added to variant features enable
performer to meet specific demands of a
situation.
Invariant features
- Form the basic of what is stored in memory
- Two memory invariant features ; Relative timing
& Relative forced used.
Parameters
- Specific movement features that vary from
one performance of skill to another
Schmidt Schema theory
Scheme : rules that serve to provide basic a
decision based on related experienced
Describing 2 control components :
Generalized motor program-control
mechanism responsible for controlling a
class of action i.e. kicking

 Motor response scheme-responsible for

providing the specific rules governing an
action a given situation
Dynamic pattern theory / Dynamic System
Decribe & explain control of coordinated
movement
Emphasis role information of environment &
properties of body or limbs
Interested in how a system changed overtime due
to influence of a particular variable.
Nonlinear Concept of DPT
Participants move their left and right index
fingers at specified rate out of phase
The finger movement out of phase shifted
to a in-phase relationship when speed of
movement was systematically increased.
The linear increase in movement speed led
to nonlinear change in movement.
Significance of finger movement studies
Out of phase and in phase movement are
specific coordination patterns
Provide investigation of coordination
changes that can occur without restoring to
a motor program to account for the change.
Stability : Refer to behavioral steady state of system
: When the system in emergency(pertubed),
it will return
spontaneously to a stable state.
Attractors : Refers to stable behavioral steady states
of systems

: Prefered behavioral states (in-phase &

out-phase of
finger movement study)
Part 2 : Performances Characteristic of
Complex Skills
Concept : Specific characteristic of the performance of
various motor skills provie the basic to understand motor
control.
Speed-Accuracy skills
Both speed & accuracy are important to perform the
skills, called speed-accuracy trade off.
When speed emphasized, accuracy is reduced.
Fitts Law
Paul Fitts predicted the movement time
for situation require both speed &
accuracy.
If we know the spatial dimension of 2
variables, Movement Time is predictable.
E.g of non laboratory motor skills that
relate Fitts Law on MT are ; Throwing dart &
moving cursor on com. screen.
Speed-Accuracy Skills : Motor Control Processes
Two motor control process underlie performance of
speed-accuracy skills ;
1. Open-Loop control : At movement iniation
Iniatial movement instruction sufficient
(mencukupi) to move limb to the vicinity
(persekitaran) of the target
2. Closed-Loop control : At movement
termination (penamatan)
Feedback from vision and proprioception (to take
or grasp) needed at end of movement to ensure
hitting target accurately.

 Prehension : Term for action involving reaching for &

grasping of objects

Three (3) Components ;

Transport - Movement of the hand to the object

2. Grasp - The hand taking hold of the object
3. Object manipulation - The hand carrying out to
intended use for the object (e.g. drinking from it,
moving it to another location)
Relationship of prehension components : Reach and
grasp not two separate movement components, but
interdependent.
Role of Vision in Prehension ;
Preparation & initiation of movement
Assesses regulatory conditions
1.

Transport of hand to object

Central vision direcet to the hand to object
provide time to contact info to initiate
grasp.
Peripherel vision provides hand movement
feedback
Grasp of object
Supplements tactile & proprioceptive
feedback to ensure intended use achieved.

Prehension and Fitts Law

Motor control aspects of prehension demonstrates
speed-accuracy trade off characteristic
Explain why movement time increases as object
width decreases

Bimanual (both hand) Coordination Skills ;

Symmetric bimanual coordination : the same action
by the both hand, equal action.
Asymmetric bimanual coordination : the different
action by the both of hand, but not symmetric. Not
equal action.
E.g. Rub stomach and pat head at same time.
E.g. Draw circle with one hand while drawing a
straight line with other hand.

Part 3 : Defining and Assessing Learning

Concept : People who assess learning must make

inferences from observing performance during practise
and test.

Distinguish between performance & learning terms

Performance distinguish from learning ;
Performance : behavioral act of executing a
skill at a specific time, in a specific
situation. Observable behaviour
Learning ; Change in the capability of a
person to perform a skill.
Must inferred from a relatively
permanent improvement in
performance as a result of practise
or experience.
General performance characteristic of skill learning ;
1. Improvement
2. Consistency
3. Persistence (measure with retention test)
4. Adaptability

 Performance Curve : Line graph decribe performance by

plot performance measure across practise trials or
periods of time.

Linear
trials or time

: Proportional increases over

Negatively accelerated
slows during latter practice

: Early improvement

Positively acclelerated
early but substantial

: Slight improvement

improvement during later

practice
Ogive or S-shaped
C curve

: Combination of A, B &

Assessing Learning by Retention Tests

Measurement to assess performance characteristic of
improvement
Tests of a practiced skill that a learner performs
Purpose : Assess permanence of the performance
level achieved during practise.
Typical administration of retention test
Perform skill in practise
Period of no practise
Retention test is administered to
determine amount retained.

Assessing Learning by Transfer Test

Assess performance characteristic adaptability of
what learned during practice.
Test involve of novel context characteristic
Perform the practised skill in performance in different
situation from practice e.g. ;
Availability of augmented feedback
Physical environment
Personal characteristic
Novel skill variation : Perform different skill from the
skill they practiced.
Assessin Learning from Coordination Dynamic

 Involve observation of the stabilities and

transitions of the dynamic of movement
coordination related to performing a skill
Temporal movement coordination pattern
Spatial movement coordiantion pattern
Criteria is stability & consistency of the
coordination pattern.
Performances Plateaus
Period time during learning process which no overt
changes in performances occur
Not always indicative of cessation of learning
Other factors : fatigue, anxiety, lack of motivation.
Part 4 : Whole & Part Practise
Concept ;
Base decisions about practising skills as wholes
or in parts on the complexity & organization
characteristic of the skills
Definition ;
Whole practise : Practise strategy involving practising
a skill in its entirely/whole.
Part practise : Practise strategy involving practising
parts of skill before practising whole skill

Skill Complexity & Organization ;

Desion to practise a skill as awhole or in parts can be
based on the complexity & organization characteristic
of skill

 Complexity : Number of parts or components in askill,

& the attention demands on the task.
Organization : spatial or temporal relationship among
the parts of the skill ;
High Level of organization : Parts are spatially &
temporally interdependent
Low level of organization ; Parts are relatively
dependent

Practicing parts of a skill ( involving 3 part-task

strategies ) /

Practise skill

1. Fractionalization (to divide or splinter into

fractions;section)
For skill, requiring asymmetric coordination of the
arms or legs.
Practise individual limbs
Begin practising with limb requiring more
difficult or more complex part
2. Segmentation (Division, partition)
Known as progressive-part strategy
Begin practise with first part of skill then
progressively adds each part until skill is practised
as a whole.
3. Simplification (to make less complex, make it easier)

 Reduce skill difficulty by practising an easier

variation (way) of the skill before practising the
skill itself
Examples of simplification methods ;
1) Reduce object difficulty
2) Reduce attention demands
3) Reduce movement speed
4) Add auditory cues
5) Progressive sequences of increasing skill
difficulty or complexity
6) Simulators and virtual reality enviroments

Part 5 : Attention
Terms :

Attention : Refer to characteristic associated with ;

Consciousness
Awareness
Cognitive effort
As they relate to the performance of skills, with particular
references to the limitations associated with those
characteristic on the
Simultaneous performance of multiple skills
Detection of relevant information in the performance
environment

Answer : Attention as a performance limiting factor

Attention Theories

Filter Theories (bottleneck teori)

Difficulty doing multiple tasks simultaneously
because of limitation due to serial processing of
multiple stimuli

Alternative Theories (Resource capacity teori)

Difficulty doing multiple task simultaneously bcoz of
limitation due to availability of resources needed to
carry out tasks
E.g. resource capacity limits
Simultaneously performance of multiple tasks can
occur as long as the resource capacity limits not
exceeded

Central Resource Capacity theories

Propose one central (CNS) source of attention
resources for which all xtvt requiring attention
compete

Kahnemans Attention Theory : An example of a Central

Resource Capacity theories
Equates attention with cognitive effort
Proposed flexible attention capacity limits
Arousal level : The factor that influences
the amount of attention capacity for a
specific performance situation

 Amount of attention resources available

(i.e. capacity) varies in relation to a
person arousal level
Maximum amount available only when
arousal level is optimal for the situation)
Relate to inverted-U function of
arousal performance relationship.
Evaluation of attention requirements of
multiple tasks to be performed.
Critical factor for determining whether
sufficient attention resources available
given capacity limits set by arousal level.
3 rules people use to allocate available attention resources
when performing multiple tasks
1. Ensure completion of at least one task
2. Enduring dispositions : Involuntary attention allocation,
e.g.
a) Novel for the situation
b) Meaningfulness of the event
3. Momentary intentions
a) Allocate attention accordingto instructions
Procedure for Assessing Attention Demands

Dual-task procedure determine the attention demands &

The characteristic of the simultaneous performance of two
different tasks.

Primary task is the task of interest

Secondary task performance is the basis to make
inferences about attention demands of primary task.
Part 6 : Augmented Feedback

Concept : Augmented feedback provides information that

can facilitate skill learning
Augmented feedback is feedback received from by a
subject from their social surroundings. So for example in
the performing arts or athletic performance the performer
receives auditory or visual stimuli from spectators,
coaches etc. which can affect their performance [citation
needed]. Specific forms of augmented feedback include
Knowledge of results and knowledge of performance.
Two types of performances related information
A. Task-instrincic feedback
Sensory-perceptual information that is a natural of part
performing a skill
4 types ( Visual, Auditory, Proprioceptive, Tactile)
B. Augmented feedback
Performances related information added to or enchance a
task-instrinsic feedback
2 types - Knowledge of results (KR) & Knowledge of
performance (KP)
KR : Externally presented information about the
outcome of performing a skill or about achieving a goal
of the performance
KP : Externally presented information about movement
characteristic that led to the performance outcome
Example a golf instructor tells a student :
KR Your shot went into the right rough
KP You did not take ur backswing back far enough
before you begin ur downswing.

 5 Issues Related to Augmented Feedback Content

1. Information about errors vs correct aspect of performance
2. KR vs. KP
3. Qualitative vs. Quantitative
4. Augmented feedback based on error size
5. Erroneous augmented feedback