APA 3120 retention and memory

What is motor memory?

The persistence of the acquired capability for performance.

What are the three distinct systems of human memory?

Short term sensory store (STSS), Short term memory (STM), Long term memory (LTM).

What is the duration and capacity of Short Term Memory (STM)?

Limited duration (~30 seconds) and capacity (7±2 items or 'chunks').

How does rehearsal affect Short Term Memory?

Rehearsal increases duration by repetition of information.

What is the impact of interference on Short Term Memory?

Interference decreases duration due to limited capacity and inability to rehearse.

What is 'chunking' in memory?

Chunking increases capacity by functionally linking information together.

What are the stages of Fitts and Posner's 3-stage model?

Cognitive stage, Associative stage, Autonomous stage.

What characterizes the Cognitive stage in Fitts and Posner's model?

Requires a lot of attention; variable performance; understanding the nature of the task.

What happens during the Associative stage?

Best strategy is known; skills are refined; less attention is required.

What defines the Autonomous stage?

Skills are automatic; little to no attention is required.

What is Bernstein's 3-stage approach to mastering degrees of freedom?

Novice stage, Advanced stage, Expert stage.

What occurs in the novice stage of Bernstein's approach?

Constraints on degrees of freedom; movement can be accurate but not efficient.

How does the advanced stage differ from the novice stage?

Releasing degrees of freedom improves flexibility; reduced co-contractions.

What characterizes the expert stage in Bernstein's model?

Degrees of freedom are fully released; tasks are performed fluidly and efficiently.

What are the two stages of Gentile's model?

Stage 1: Understanding task dynamics; Stage 2: Fixation/Diversification.

What is the goal of Stage 1 in Gentile's model?

Develop an understanding of the task dynamics and movement strategies.

What is the focus of Stage 2 in Gentile's model?

Refining movement and adapting strategies to changing tasks/environments.

What is the difference between continuous and discrete tasks?

Continuous tasks (e.g., biking) are well retained; discrete tasks (e.g., throwing a ball) have less retention.

Why do discrete tasks require more practice for retention?

Discrete tasks have heavier verbal-cognitive components, requiring more practice to achieve automation.

How does the amount of practice affect learning?

More practice leads to better retention, especially for continuous tasks, which consist of many small discrete tasks.

What is a physical simulator?

A replica of the environment used for teaching procedural skills and the proper order of activities.

What are the benefits of using physical simulators in practice?

They save considerable time by allowing early practice of sequence knowledge, which is transferable between different effector systems.

What is a virtual simulator?

A device that simulates perceptual demands of a task and displays them on a computer monitor.

What types of demands do virtual environments simulate?

Visual, auditory, and haptic demands of a task.

How does a virtual simulator map individual actions?

It maps them in terms of the actions of the simulated effector system, displaying expected consequences.

What is an advantage of virtual simulators compared to physical simulators?

They are much less costly to produce.

What is the uncertainty regarding motor elements in physical simulators?

There is less certainty that the motor elements of the task can be easily simulated.

What is the role of simulation devices in teaching?

They are excellent for teaching procedural skills and the proper sequence of activities.

What research supports the use of simulators in practice?

Studies by Fendrich, Healy, & Bourne (1991) and Keele et al. (1995) indicate the effectiveness of simulators.

Why is sequence knowledge important in training?

It allows for efficient learning and transfer of skills across different tasks.