Mental Practice and Knowledge of Results in the Learning of a Perceptual Motor Skill

1982 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven G. Zecker
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skill ◽  
Mental Practice ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Physical Practice ◽  
Knowledge Of Results ◽  
Massed Practice ◽  
Improved Performance ◽  
Improved Learning ◽  
And Control

Although mental practice has often been demonstrated to result in improved learning of a motor skill, theoretical accounts of the reasons for this improvement are lacking. The present experiment examined the role of knowledge of results (KR) in motor skill learning, because KR is believed to be crucial to such learning, yet is lacking during mental practice. Subjects in four conditions (mental practice, physical practice, physical practice without KR, and control), tossed beanbags at a target. Results showed that of the four conditions, mental practice showed the largest performance increment, whereas physical practice showed a decrement attributed to massed practice without adequate rest periods. Results suggest that (a) knowledge of results is not always essential for improved performance; (b) mental practice is most beneficial following sufficient experience with the task; and (c) mental practice may be best suited for a massed practice learning situation.

scholarly journals Effects of relative frequency and delay interval of knowledge of results (KR) in the acquisition of motor skills

2006 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-63
Author(s):  
Leandro R. Palhares ◽  
Alessandro T. Bruzi ◽  
Guilherme M. Lage ◽  
João V. A. P. Fialho ◽  
Herbert Ugrinowitsch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Delay Interval ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Relative Frequency ◽  
The Other ◽  
Tennis Ball ◽  
Knowledge Of Results ◽  
Target Time ◽  
Serial Task

The purpose of the present study was to identify the effects of relative frequency and delay interval of Knowledge of Results (KR) in the acquisition of a serial motor skill. Sixty students were randomly distributed in 2 experiments, with three groups in each experiment (n = 10). The Experiment 1 investigated the effects of the KR frequency without KR delay interval and the Experiment 2 investigated the effects of the KR frequency with KR delay interval (3 seconds) in the acquisition of a serial motor skill. The serial task consisted of putting a tennis ball into six holes, positioned in a wood platform in a previously determined target time. In both experiments, the subjects performed 60 trials in target time of 2,700 ms, in the acquisition phase. In the Experiment 1, the results showed superiority of G33 in relation to the other groups, during the tests. In the Experiment 2, the results did not show any difference among the groups. These results are discussed with respect to the effect of KR delay interval, showing the role of combination of the variables.  

Children's motor imagery modality dominance modulates the role of attentional focus in motor skill learning

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 ◽  
pp. 102742
Author(s):  
Moslem Bahmani ◽  
Mehdi Babak ◽  
William M. Land ◽  
Jeffery T. Howard ◽  
Jed A. Diekfuss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Imagery ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Motor Skill Learning ◽  
Modality Dominance

The Effects of Mental Practice on Motor Skill Learning and Performance: A Meta-analysis

1983 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deborah L. Feltz ◽  
Daniel M. Landers
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skill ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Mental Practice ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Average Effect ◽  
Subsequent Performance ◽  
Clear Cut

A longstanding research question in the sport psychology literature has been whether a given amount of mental practice prior to performing a motor skill will enhance one's subsequent performance. The research literature, however, has not provided any clear-cut answers to this question and this has prompted the present, more comprehensive review of existing research using the meta-analytic strategy proposed by Glass (1977). From the 60 studies yielding 146 effect sizes the overall average effect size was .48, which suggests, as did Richardson (1967a), that mentally practicing a motor skill influences performance somewhat better than no practice at all. Effect sizes were also compared on a number of variables thought to moderate the effects of mental practice. Results from these comparisons indicated that studies employing cognitive tasks had larger average effect sizes than motor or strength tasks and that published studies had larger average effect sizes than unpublished studies. These findings are discussed in relation to several existing explanations for mental practice and four theoretical propositions are advanced.

scholarly journals Effect of self-controlled knowledge of results in motor skill learning of elderly adults

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-30
Author(s):  
Lucieni B. Alcântara ◽  
Michela A. F. Alves ◽  
Renata C. O. Santos ◽  
Lívia K. de Medeiros ◽  
Wesley R. Gonçalves ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skill ◽  
Transfer Test ◽  
Skill Learning ◽  
The Self ◽  
Acquisition Phase ◽  
Motor Skill Learning ◽  
Elderly Adults ◽  
Knowledge Of Results ◽  
Target Time ◽  
Tennis Balls

The aim of this study was to analyze the effects of self-controlled knowledge of results (KR) in motor skill learning of elderly adults. Twenty subjects (65.45 + 5.34 years-old), inexperienced in the required task, were randomly distributed in two experimental groups: 1) Self-controlled Group, who received KR whenever requested; 2) Yoked Group, who received KR on the same trials of the Self-controlled Group. The task consisted of moving three tennis balls into six roles, positioned in a wood platform, in a previously determined sequence and target time. During the acquisition phase, the subjects performed 45 trials with a target time of 4500 ms. The immediate transfer tests, conducted ten minutes after the acquisition phase, consisted of 45 trials with a target time of 5000 ms. After forty eight hours, the same procedure was conducted for the latest transfer test. The results showed marginal differences, suggesting a higher performance of self-controlled group. It was concluded that selfcontrolled KR is helpful to promote motor learning in elderly adults.

“Inner” Darts: Effects of Mental Practice on Performance of Dart Throwing

1978 ◽  
Vol 47 (3_suppl) ◽  
pp. 1195-1199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwight Mendoza ◽  
Harvey Wichman
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skill ◽  
Mental Practice ◽  
Performance Level ◽  
Physical Practice ◽  
Mental Rehearsal ◽  
Practice Group ◽  
Dart Throwing ◽  
Motor Movements

To explore the effects of mental rehearsal on the performance of a motor skill, 32 college undergraduates were scored on dart-throwing ability and randomly assigned to one of 4 practice conditions: no-practice controls, mental rehearsal only, mental rehearsal with simulated dart-throwing motor movements, and direct physical practice. Following 6 days of mental or physical practice by the experimental groups, the performance level on the dart-throwing task was again measured for all subjects. Comparison of improvement showed statistically significant differences between the groups. Follow-up tests showed that all experimental groups differed significantly from the no-practice group, there were no significant differences between mental practice groups and direct physical practice resulted in improvements significantly higher than any other form of practice.

Use of Imagery Practice for Improving a Motor Skill

1995 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 217-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul R. Surburg ◽  
David L. Porretta ◽  
Vins Sutlive
Keyword(s):  
Mental Retardation ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Motor Performance ◽  
Motor Task ◽  
Mild Mental Retardation ◽  
Physical Practice ◽  
Cognitive Demands ◽  
Cognitive Loading ◽  
Secondary Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of imagery practice as supplementary practice in the performance of a throwing task. A secondary purpose was to ascertain if different cognitive demands of a motor task affected the use of this supplementary practice. Forty adolescents with mild mental retardation were randomly assigned to the following groups: low cognitive loading-physical practice, low cognitive loading-imagery and physical practice, high cognitive loading-physical practice, high cognitive loading-imagery and physical practice. Subjects engaged in seven practice sessions during which performance scores of a throwing task were recorded. Groups supplemented with imagery practice were superior in performance to nonimagery groups. A higher cognitive loading of the task did not enhance the use of this type of supplementary practice more than a lower loading. The results of this study reflect the efficacy of imagery practice as a means to improve motor performance of students with mild mental retardation.

Effects of Aging and Reduced Relative Frequency of Knowledge of Results on Learning a Motor Skill

1997 ◽  
Vol 84 (3) ◽  
pp. 1107-1122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurie R. Wishart ◽  
Timothy D. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Motor Skill ◽  
Relative Frequency ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Performance Information ◽  
Knowledge Of Results ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Effects Of Aging ◽  
Specific Timing

Although there is evidence for age-related changes in both cognition and motor control, very little is known about the effect of age on learning of new motor skills. The present experiment addressed the interaction between aging and the role of knowledge of results (KR) on a motor learning task. Using a three-segment task on which each segment had specific timing goals, three different manipulations of relative frequency of information about performance were compared in younger and older adults. The three conditions were (a) 100% KR in which information about performance on each segment was provided after every trial, (b) 67% KR in which the performance information was faded over trials, and (c) 67% KR in which the performance information was faded over the segments within each trial. Following 90 acquisition trials, all subjects performed retention, transfer, and reacquisition tests. There were age-related differences for movement accuracy and consistency on acquisition and on the retention tests but not on the transfer test. However, none of these differences interacted with the frequency of KR manipulations. Surprisingly, there was no effect due to the fading schedules of KR. In general, these results indicated that younger and older adults use KR in a similar way to learn a motor skill.

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