Correct chapter8- Motor learning

What is motor learning?

Motor learning is defined as a set of processes associated with practice or experience that lead to relatively permanent gains in the capability for skilled performance.

What must happen for motor learning to occur?

There must be an observable improvement in the skill that is not merely the result of external aids or one-time influences, but rather reflects an enduring change in how the nervous system plans and controls movement.

What do relatively permanent gains result from?

Deliberate practice and are evidenced when a person retains new skills under various conditions or over a period of time.

We infer learning from changes in what?

Performance over time, but we cannot directly observe the internal processes themselves.

What does learning through practice influence?

The decision-making and movement-control components within the conceptual model of human performance.

Give examples of changes influenced by practice.

Increased automaticity (faster, more accurate processing of environmental cues during stimulus identification stage)

What are the primary features of the definition of learning?

Learning results from practice or experience

What is a performance curve?

A performance curve plots how well a person (or group) performs over multiple practice trials or sessions and is often shown with performance on the y-axis and trials or time on the x-axis.

Why can “learning curves” be misleading?

The graph only displays performance changes in practice, which can be influenced by short-term factors like emotional state or external devices (e.g., training aids).

What does the “law of practice” describe?

Rapid initial gains followed by more gradual improvement—the curve is steep at first and then levels off.

What can affect the shape of performance curves?

Different scoring methods (e.g., time on target vs. errors) can produce different-looking curves even if improvement rate is the same.

What are common features of performance curves?

Steep increase in performance early in practice followed by slower improvements later (i.e., the “law of practice”).

What are the limitations of performance curves?

They mask individual differences

Why must we distinguish learning from performance?

Practice may yield both permanent (learning) and temporary (performance) effects

What is a retention test used for?

To examine whether performance improvements seen in practice are enduring rather than fleeting.

When are retention tests conducted?

After a break from practice so short-term effects like fatigue, guidance, or heightened arousal can dissipate.

What does improved performance on a retention test indicate?

The person has genuinely developed or enhanced a capability for that skill—evidence of relatively permanent learning changes.

What is transfer of learning?

How practicing a skill in one situation or form influences performance in another situation or form.

What is positive transfer?

Practice in the initial setting enhances performance in the new context compared to no practice (e.g., baseball pitchers show better golf swing mechanics).

What is negative transfer?

Prior learning hinders new skill acquisition or performance (e.g., a baseball swing causing an “over-the-top” golf motion).

Why is transfer important in teaching?

It explains why fundamental movement skills are taught early to promote later application (far transfer) and why realistic practice drills aid game performance (near transfer).

What is near transfer?

The new task or context is very similar to the practice conditions (e.g., basketball free throw in practice and in a game).

What is far transfer?

The new task or context is different but shares underlying principles (e.g., throwing skills from PE helping in javelin or football quarterbacking).

What is the concept of a transfer test?

To measure how skills apply in new contexts (near or far) and evaluate the learner’s adaptability.