Year: 1996
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Motor learning specificity has a long history, beginning with F. hl. Henry (e.g.Henry, 1968).Recent work bas focussed on the specificity of learning with regards to the sensory information available when learning and performing a movement.These learning studies typically employed manual aiming movements.This thesis attempted to replicate and extend previous work.Predictions were made pitting the specificity of motor learning hypothesis against Schema theory.In experiment 1,3 groups of I0 subjects practised the movement (a series of flexions and extensions at the elbow, defined spatially and temporally): one practised the movement for 300 trials with visually presented on-line kinematic feedback while the other two did not, one of which did 300 trials (HP), the othcr 50 (LP).Pretest and posttest sessions of 10 trials each were performed.Measures were o h G ~e C mat characterized overall, spatial, and temporal performance.Results indicated that ai! groups improved with practise.In the posttest, the LP group maintained performance levels, while providing the HP group with the feedback resulted in transient performance decrements, indicating an inability to use the novel visual information.In experiment 2 subjects practised the same movement as in experiment 1 with the on-line feedback and a movement duration of 2.20 sec.Half of the 42 subjects performed 50 practise trials (LP), the other half 300 (HP).The subjects within the two levels of practice were divided by movement duration in the pretest (10 trials) and posttest (20 trials), performing either a 2.20, a 2.64, or a 3.30 sec.movement.AII groups improved over practise, with more practise yielding superior performance.The LP groups demonstrated the ability to generalize to the unpractised durations, while performance at thc novel durations caused performance decrements for the HP groups.In addition to the HP groups' inability to generalize, performance at the novel durations appeared to decrease a s the practice and posttest durations diverged.ACKNO?VLEDGEMENTS I; would like to thank Ron ,Warteniuk, for his confidence in me and my work i d for allowing me the freedom to explore my own abilities, and John Dickinson, for his availability and willingness to help.Rob Taylor's skillful and patient progrt~mming ~nacic this project not only possible, but successful.I would also like to recognize the contributions, be they physical, mental, or academic, of my workout partners, drinking buddies, and lab mates.I would like to extend my gratitude
Source: Summit (Simon Fraser University)
Author: Christopher James Ivens
Language: English
Topic: Motor Control and Adaptation
Subfield: Cognitive Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2134033136