KINE 3650 Ch. 9 and 13

Transfer of learning

The influence of prior learning on the learning of a new skill or the performance of a skill in a new context.

Positive transfer

The beneficial effect of prior learning on the learning of a new skill or the performance of a skill in a new context.

Negative transfer

The negative effect of prior learning on the learning of a new skill or the performance of a skill in a new context.

Identify elements theory

An explanation of positive transfer proposing that transfer is due to the degree of similarity between the component parts or characteristics of two skills or two performance contexts.

Transfer-appropriate processing theory

An explanation of positive transfer proposing that transfer is due to the similarity in the cognitive processing characteristics required by the two skills or two performance situations.

Bilateral transfer

Transfer of learning that occurs between two limbs.

Asymmetric tranfers

Bilateral transfer in which there is a greater amount of transfer from one limb than from the other limb.

Symmetric transfer 

Bilateral transfer in which the amount of transfer is similar from one limb to another, no matter which limb is used first.

Attention

In human performance, characteristics associated with consciousness, awareness, and cognitive effort as they relate to the performance of skills. Of particular interest are limitations associated with these characteristics on the simultaneous performance of multiple skills and the detection of relevant information in the performance environment.

Central-resource theories of attention

Attention-capacity theories that propose one central source of attentional resources for which all activities requiring attention compete.

Arousal

The general state of excitability of a person, involving physiological, emotional, and mental systems. Terms such as anxiety and intensity are sometimes used synonymously in psychological contexts.

Multiple-resource theories

Theories of attention proposing that there are several attentional resource mechanisms, each of which is related to a specific information-processing activity and is limited in how much information it can process simultaneously.

Dual-task procedure

An experimental procedure used in the study of attention to determine the amount of attention required to perform an action, or a part of an action. The procedure involves assessing the degree of interference caused by one task when a person is simultaneously performing another task.

Attentional focus

The directing of attention to specific characteristics in a performance environment, or to action preparation activities.

Action effect hypothesis 

The proposition that actions are best planned and controlled by their intended effects. When related to attentional focus, this hypothesis proposes that the learning and performance of skills are optimized when the performer’s attention is directed to the intended outcome of the action rather than on the movements themselves.

Automaticity

The term used to indicate that a person performs a skill, or engages in certain information-processing activities, with little or no demands on attention capacity.

Selective attention 

In the study of attention as it relates to human learning and performance, the term used to refer to the detection and selection of performance-related information in the performance environment.

Visual search

The process of directing visual attention to locate relevant information in the environment that will enable a person to determine how to prepare and perform a skill in a specific situation.