Motor Control and Learning: Retention and Transfer of Learning

Flashcards for reviewing motor control and learning, focusing on retention and transfer.

Learning

A change in the capability of a person to perform a skill

Forgetting

The loss of the capability to perform a skill

Motor memory

The persistence of the acquired capability for performance

What are the subsystems of working memory?

Phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, and central executive

What are the subsystems of long-term memory?

Procedural, semantic, and episodic memory

What is the function of the phonological loop?

Short-term storage of verbal information

What is the function of the visuospatial sketchpad?

Short-term storage of visually detected spatial information

What is the function of the central executive?

Coordinates information in working memory, including information retrieved from long-term memory

What is procedural memory?

Storage of information about motor skills

What is semantic memory?

Factual and conceptual knowledge about the world

What is episodic memory?

Storage of personal experiences and events

What is retention?

The persistence or lack of persistence of performance

What is a retention interval?

Time between the end of practice and the retention test

What is absolute retention?

Level of performance on the initial trial(s) of the retention test

What is a difference score in relative retention?

Amount of loss in skill over the retention interval

How to calculate percentage score for relative retention

Amount forgotten/amount originally learned

What is a savings score?

measures how much information or skill is retained after some time has passed

What is the difference in retention between continuous and discrete skills?

Continuous skills are retained for a long time with practice, while discrete skills show loss quickly

What is transfer?

he persistence or lack of persistence of performance on a task that is different from the one practiced

What two ways can transfer occur?

Forward or retroactive

How can transfer be positive or negative?

depends on whether performance from group I on task B is better than or less than the performance from Group II

How do you calculate percent of transfer?

%transfer = (difference on first trial of task B between groups I & II)/(Total improvement of group II after practice of task B)

Is percent of transfer a good measure?

No, it depends on amount of practice of task B, the scoring system, and nature of subjects

What is savings score for transfer?

The amount of practice time 'saved' on task B by having first practiced task A.

According to Identical Elements Theory, what elements should be present for transfer?

General skill characteristics should be as similar as possible

According to Transfer-Appropriate Processing Theory, what should be similar?

Cognitive processes should be similar

What is near transfer?

Context of the practiced and the second skill are very similar (overlap).

What is far transfer?

Two contexts are different (little overlap)

What typically causes negative transfer?

A change in the spatial locations or timing structure of a movement

What is bilateral transfer?

When transfer of learning occurs between two limbs

What is asymmetric transfer?

Bilateral transfer is maximized by practicing with a certain limb (dominant limb is preferred)

What is symmetric transfer?

Bilateral transfer is not affected by which limb is used for practice

What is the cognitive explanation for bilateral transfer?

Cognitive: acquiring necessary information regardless of the limb used