Retention and Transfer Study Set

Three Phases of Motor Learning

1. Acquisition - Learning a new motor task (Encoding); 2. Retention - Performing the task after a delay; 3. Transfer - Applying learned skill to a similar task

Memory Processes

Encoding, Consolidation, Retrieval

Acquisition or practice

Corresponds to Encoding in motor memory

End-of-practice or immediate retention

Corresponds to consolidation in motor memory

Transfer phase or delayed retention

Corresponds to retrieval in motor memory

Memory

The persistence of the acquired capability for performance

Retention phase

Corresponds to Consolidation in motor memory

Absolute Retention

Performance on the first trial of the retention test

Relative Retention

Performance compared to practice session scores

Difference Score

- Optimal practice score - 1st retention attempt

- measures the amount of loss in skill over the retention interval

Percentage Score

Retention loss relative to improvement during practice

Savings Score

Trials needed to return to optimal performance after a break

Transfer of Learning

The gain or loss in the capacity for performance in one task as a result of practice or experience

Proactive transfer

Thinking about the movement before it's performed

Retroactive transfer

Changing technique based on feedback

Motor memory

Persistence of the required capability for responding

Continuous skills in motor memory

Retained nearly perfectly over long retention intervals

Discrete skills in motor memory

Can show marked performance losses during long retention intervals

Motor program

A reference of correctness, a schema, or an intrinsic coordination pattern

Information processes

encoding, consolidation, retrieval

Theoretical level of motor learning

Acquiring the capability for moving gains in memory

Behavioral level of motor learning

Relatively permanent gains in performance with practice

Theoretical level of motor forgetting

Losing the capability for moving or forgetting, loss of memory

Behavioral level of motor forgetting

Relatively permanent losses in performance, or retention losses

Retention test

Used to assess the permanence of the motor skill, determines how much info has been retained following practice

Transfer test

The ability of the learner to adapt the newly learned procedural skill to a different situation is tested

Two basic principles of Transfer

1. Motor learning is usually small but positive

2. Motor transfer depends of the similarity between tasks