Individual Differences in Two Motor Learning Tasks under Massed Practice

1968 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 499-504 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. V. Carron ◽  
J. L. Leavitt
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Rest Period ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Massed Practice ◽  
Practice Schedule ◽  
Sources Of Variation ◽  
Practice Trials

50 boys, age 14 to 15 yr., were tested on a tracking task (pursuit rotor) and a large-muscle motor-learning task (stabilometer) to examine the effect of relatively massed practice upon individual differences and intra-individual variation. The practice schedule, which was identical for both tasks, called for 20 50-sec. practice trials with a 10-sec. intertrial rest period. A 5-min. rest was also interpolated every fourth trial. The greatest change in individual differences and intra-individual variation in both tasks occurred during the first 4 practice trials and in the 5-min. interpolated rest which immediately followed. Additional practice and interpolated rest over the remaining 15 practice trials had little additional effect upon either of the sources of variation. The changes in the sources of variation did not, with the exception of intra-individual variability in the stabilometer, appear to be proportional to changes in the mean.

Discrete-Trial Motor Learning: Influence of Practice on Individual Differences and Intra-Individual Variability

1969 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 827-831 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert V. Carron
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Distributed Practice ◽  
Discrete Trial ◽  
College Males ◽  
Differential Effects

300 college males were tested on a discrete-trial motor-learning task (the peg turn) to examine the effects of practice under massing and distribution of practice upon individual differences and intra-individual variability. Massed and distributed practice did not have differential effects on these sources of variability. With practice, individual differences decreased early and then remained unchanged while intra-individual variability was substantially unchanged.

Inter-individual variation shapes the human microbiome

2019 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily F. Wissel ◽  
Leigh K. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Human Microbiome ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Microbiota Composition ◽  
Target Article ◽  
Microbiome Research

Abstract The target article suggests inter-individual variability is a weakness of microbiota-gut-brain (MGB) research, but we discuss why it is actually a strength. We comment on how accounting for individual differences can help researchers systematically understand the observed variance in microbiota composition, interpret null findings, and potentially improve the efficacy of therapeutic treatments in future clinical microbiome research.

Analysis of individual differences in behavioural responsiveness in pigs

1989 ◽  
Vol 1989 ◽  
pp. 92-92
Author(s):  
C. Terlouw ◽  
A.B. Lawrence ◽  
A.W. Illius
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Mating Behaviour ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
General Description ◽  
Environmental Challenges ◽  
Group A ◽  
Considerable Individual Variation ◽  
Environmental Challenge

Animals show considerable individual variation in many behaviour patterns such as feeding and mating behaviour. Often, this individual variability is ignored in favour of a more general description of the population. However, this may mask important information regarding the causes and functions of this individual variability. Behavioural work on other species has suggested that individuals tend to respond actively or passively to environmental challenge. It is of interest to know if a similar dimension of responsiveness exists in pigs as it may serve, amongst other things, to explain the considerable individual variability in pigs responses to putitive stresses such as tethered housing. This paper describes a series of tests made of behavioural responsiveness in pigs to assess the extent of consistent variability in individuals responses to a wide variety of environmental challenges.The subjects were two groups [Group A and B: n = 26 and 36 respectively) of modern hybrid non-pregnant gilts [Cotswold Pig Development Company Ltd, UK). Initially, the gilts were subjected to a number of tests of behavioural responsiveness at the Cotswold unit.

scholarly journals Association of COMT val158met and DRD2 G>T genetic polymorphisms with individual differences in motor learning and performance in female young adults

2014 ◽  
Vol 111 (3) ◽  
pp. 628-640 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Noohi ◽  
Nate B. Boyden ◽  
Youngbin Kwak ◽  
Jennifer Humfleet ◽  
David T. Burke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Genetic Polymorphisms ◽  
Sequence Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Striatal Dopamine ◽  
Motor Sequence Learning ◽  
Motor Sequence ◽  
Comt Val158met ◽  
Adaptation Task

Individuals learn new skills at different rates. Given the involvement of corticostriatal pathways in some types of learning, variations in dopaminergic transmission may contribute to these individual differences. Genetic polymorphisms of the catechol- O-methyltransferase (COMT) enzyme and dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) genes partially determine cortical and striatal dopamine availability, respectively. Individuals who are homozygous for the COMT methionine ( met) allele show reduced cortical COMT enzymatic activity, resulting in increased dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex as opposed to individuals who are carriers of the valine ( val) allele. DRD2 G-allele homozygotes benefit from a higher striatal dopamine level compared with T-allele carriers. We hypothesized that individuals who are homozygous for COMT met and DRD2 G alleles would show higher rates of motor learning. Seventy-two young healthy females (20 ± 1.9 yr) performed a sensorimotor adaptation task and a motor sequence learning task. A nonparametric mixed model ANOVA revealed that the COMT val-val group demonstrated poorer performance in the sequence learning task compared with the met-met group and showed a learning deficit in the visuomotor adaptation task compared with both met-met and val-met groups. The DRD2 TT group showed poorer performance in the sequence learning task compared with the GT group, but there was no difference between DRD2 genotype groups in adaptation rate. Although these results did not entirely come out as one might predict based on the known contribution of corticostriatal pathways to motor sequence learning, they support the role of genetic polymorphisms of COMT val158met (rs4680) and DRD2 G>T (rs 1076560) in explaining individual differences in motor performance and motor learning, dependent on task type.

Individual differences and theory in a motor learning task.

1955 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Zeaman ◽  
Herbert Kaufman
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Learning Task

A Motor Learning Task Involving Two-Arm Balance-Coordination

1974 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-187
Author(s):  
Albert V. Carron ◽  
Michael Bracegirdle
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Motor Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
High Degree

An apparatus, the two-arm balance-coordination task, is described. It was proposed that this task might be utilized for the examination of motor learning. The task is fairly novel, performance shows significant improvement with practice and evidences a relatively high degree of reliability of individual differences.

The Effectiveness of Constant, Variable, Random, and Blocked Practice in Speech-Motor Learning

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ramesh Kaipa ◽  
Michael Robb ◽  
Richard Jones
Keyword(s):  
Motor Learning ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Practice Schedule ◽  
Speech Task ◽  
Median Split ◽  
Practice Variability ◽  
Speech Motor Learning ◽  
Temporal Learning ◽  
Variable Practice ◽  
Speech Motor

In this experiment, we investigated the role of practice variability (constant versus variable practice) and practice schedule (random versus blocked practice) on spatial and temporal learning of a speech task as a function of aging. The participants were 80 healthy individuals (40–80 years) with no history of cognitive, sensory, or motor disorders. A median split was performed to divide the participants into older and younger groups. The median split was at 59 years of age, thus placing 40 participants in each age group. The participants were assigned to one of four practice groups and practiced a nonmeaningful phrase for two consecutive days. On the third day, the participants reproduced the speech phrase without practice. Data analysis revealed that older participants involved in constant practice demonstrated superior temporal learning of the speech task over participants on variable practice. Older participants on random practice demonstrated better spatial learning of the speech task than did participants on blocked practice. In contrast, there was no effect of practice conditions on spatial and temporal learning outcomes in the younger group. The findings indicate that practice variability and practice schedule influence different aspects of a complex speech-motor learning task among older adults but not among younger adults.

scholarly journals Sex and boldness explain individual differences in spatial learning in a lizard

2014 ◽  
Vol 281 (1782) ◽  
pp. 20133275 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pau Carazo ◽  
Daniel W. A. Noble ◽  
Dani Chandrasoma ◽  
Martin J. Whiting
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Spatial Learning ◽  
Environmental Variability ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Spatial Task ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Trade Offs ◽  
Behavioural Types

Understanding individual differences in cognitive performance is a major challenge to animal behaviour and cognition studies. We used the Eastern water skink ( Eulamprus quoyii ) to examine associations between exploration, boldness and individual variability in spatial learning, a dimension of lizard cognition with important bearing on fitness. We show that males perform better than females in a biologically relevant spatial learning task. This is the first evidence for sex differences in learning in a reptile, and we argue that it is probably owing to sex-specific selective pressures that may be widespread in lizards. Across the sexes, we found a clear association between boldness after a simulated predatory attack and the probability of learning the spatial task. In contrast to previous studies, we found a nonlinear association between boldness and learning: both ‘bold’ and ‘shy’ behavioural types were more successful learners than intermediate males. Our results do not fit with recent predictions suggesting that individual differences in learning may be linked with behavioural types via high–low-risk/reward trade-offs. We suggest the possibility that differences in spatial cognitive performance may arise in lizards as a consequence of the distinct environmental variability and complexity experienced by individuals as a result of their sex and social tactics.

scholarly journals Spatial gradient in value representation along the medial prefrontal cortex reflects individual differences in prosociality

2015 ◽  
Vol 112 (25) ◽  
pp. 7851-7856 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sunhae Sul ◽  
Philippe N. Tobler ◽  
Grit Hein ◽  
Susanne Leiberg ◽  
Daehyun Jung ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Medial Prefrontal Cortex ◽  
Learning Task ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Gradual Transition ◽  
Spatial Gradient ◽  
Neural Data ◽  
Other Regarding ◽  
Study Participants

Despite the importance of valuing another person’s welfare for prosocial behavior, currently we have only a limited understanding of how these values are represented in the brain and, more importantly, how they give rise to individual variability in prosociality. In the present study, participants underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing a prosocial learning task in which they could choose to benefit themselves and/or another person. Choice behavior indicated that participants valued the welfare of another person, although less so than they valued their own welfare. Neural data revealed a spatial gradient in activity within the medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), such that ventral parts predominantly represented self-regarding values and dorsal parts predominantly represented other-regarding values. Importantly, compared with selfish individuals, prosocial individuals showed a more gradual transition from self-regarding to other-regarding value signals in the MPFC and stronger MPFC–striatum coupling when they made choices for another person rather than for themselves. The present study provides evidence of neural markers reflecting individual differences in human prosociality.

scholarly journals Inter-individual Variability of Functional Connectivity in Awake and Anesthetized Rhesus Monkeys

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ting Xu ◽  
Darrick Sturgeon ◽  
Julian S.B. Ramirez ◽  
Seán Froudist-Walsh ◽  
Daniel S. Margulies ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Functional Connectivity ◽  
Nonhuman Primate ◽  
Individual Variation ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Functional Organization ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Initial Examination ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Lower Variability

ABSTRACTBackgroundNonhuman primate models (NHP) are commonly used to advance our understanding of brain function and organization. However, to date, they have offered few insights into individual differences among NHPs. In large part, this is due to the logistical challenges of NHP research, which limit most studies to five subjects or fewer.MethodsWe leveraged the availability of a large-scale open NHP imaging resource to provide an initial examination of individual differences in the functional organization of the nonhuman primate brain. Specifically, we selected one awake fMRI dataset (Newcastle: n = 10) and two anesthetized fMRI data sets (Oxford: n = 19; UC-Davis: n = 19) to examine individual differences in functional connectivity characteristics across the cortex, as well as potential state dependencies.ResultsWe noted significant individual variations of functional connectivity across the macaque cortex. Similar to the findings in human, during the awake state, the primary sensory and motor cortices showed lower variability than the high-order association regions. This variability pattern was significantly correlated with T1w/T2w map, the degree of long-distance connectivity, but not short-distance connectivity. However, the inter-individual variability under anesthesia exhibited a very distinct pattern, with lower variability in medial frontal cortex, precuneus and somatomotor regions and higher variability in the lateral ventral frontal and insular cortices.ConclusionsThis work has implications for our understanding of the evolutionary origins of individual variation in the human brain, as well as methodological implications that must be considered in any pursuit to study individual variation in NHP models.

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