Enhanced Performance Stabilization Increases Performance Variability in a Virtual Interception Task.

Performing a motor task depends on the level of performance stabilization and movement control, and both aspects of motor behavior are related to motor learning (retention and transfer) and adaptation (predictable and unpredictable perturbations). Yet few studies have further investigated the underlying dynamics that may elicit these benefits. In this study, we investigated the effects of two levels of performance stabilization on motor performance and control while learning to intercept a virtual moving target. We randomly divided 40 participants of both sexes (Mage = 26.02 years, SD = 2.02) into a Stabilization Group (SG) and a Superstabilization Group (SSG). We considered the performance stabilized when a moving target was intercepted three times in a row and superstabilized when the same criterion was repeated six times. We analyzed outcome variables related to performance accuracy (absolute spatial error) and variability(coefficient of variation) and motor control (relative time to peak velocity-tPV% and its coefficient of variation) on both the first and last blocks of practice trials. Both groups showed comparable increases in performance accuracy from the first to the last block (p = .001, ηp2 = 1.00), but SSG presented higher variability than SG (p = .05, ηp2 = .70). Concerning motor control, both groups started the experiment with low tPV% and finished with comparably high tPV% and variability. Thus, although practicing two levels of performance stabilization led to similar performance accuracy and movement control, superstabilization resulted in higher performance variability with no loss of accuracy. Enhanced stabilization may increase the ability to adapt to environmental changes, but more research is needed to demonstrate this. These findings add to an understanding of the relationship between levels of performance stabilization and performance variability and may have implications for professional interventions (e.g. sports, rehabilitation) in considering the benefits of practice beyond performance stabilization.

The effect of constant practice in transfer tests

Abstract BACKGROUND There is aconsensus that repetition observed in constant practice producesminimalbenefits to the transfer of learning. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to investigatein 3 experiments the effects of constant practicein transfer contexts. METHODOLOGY Participants were asked during acquisition phase, in all experiments, to press four keys sequentially with different requirements of absolute timing in a same relative timing structure. In the transfer tests, they were tested in a novel absolute timing criterion. RESULTS The results of experiment 1 and 2 showed that the relative timing structure was maintained only when the transfer required parameter scaling close to the parameter value practiced in acquisition. The transfer parameter that is far to the parameter practiced did not affect the movement parameterization. The result of experiment 3 showed that relative timing structure is disrupted in the transfer test when constant practice has high and low amount of practice. CONCLUSION Some specific aspects interfere in the transfer test when constant practice is experienced.(AU)