Lecture 19 - Motor Learning Flashcards
What is motor learning?
Motor learning is a set of processes that lead to relatively permanent changes in the capacity for skilled motor performance
OR
set of processes associated with practice or experience leading to relatively permanent changes in the capability for movement
You go home for Easter and see a clarinet you used to play while you were in high school. You pick it up and play an old favourite song. You are demonstrating ________.
Retention
What is retention?
The ability to demonstrate a skill over time.
You use your clarinet skills to learn how to play the saxophone. You are demonstrating ______.
Transfer/generalizability
What is transfer/generalizability?
The ability to apply a learned skill to learning of other similar tasks. Practice on one task contributes to performance capacity in some other task.
Retention can be used to see if a skill is _____ versus _____..
A) Learned
B) Merely enhanced performance (temporary change)
While _____ and ____ are good measures of motor learning, _______ is not.
Retention and transfer/generalizability
Performance
What are the 3 internal process stages for motor learning, as outlined by Fitts and Posner? Briefly define each.
1) Cognitive - development of basic movement pattern
2) Associative - refinement of movement
3) Autonomous - performance of movement virtually automatic
T/F: There is an increase in the variability in performance during the associative stage.
False (decrease)
While there is a trial and error period during the _____ stage, the _____ stage is virtually error free with little interference from environmental distractions.
1) Cognitive
2) Autonomous
The cognitive stage requires that learners do what 2 things?
1) Understand the nature of the task/skill
2) Develop strategies that can be used to carry out the task
What three things will be the highest in the cognitive phase and lowest in the autonomous phase?
1) Speed of improvement
2) Variability of Performance
3) Level of attention
What structures are associate with the following:
1) cognitive stage
2) association stage
3) autonomous stage
1) Cortical areas
2) Cerebellum
3) Basal ganglia
With ____, the performer is provided with the solutions to a problem. With _____, the performer is encouraged to problem solve.
In therapeutic interventions for patients with neurological impairments, what should be the focus?
1) Skill training
2) Motor learning (learning a motor skill)
Focus on learning a motor skill rather than skill training.
What are the 5 factors that influence motor learning?
1) Individual
2) Task
3) Environment
4) Practice
5) Feedback
Which of the following factors (within the characteristic of the individual) will NOT affect motor learning?
1) Age
2) Prior movement experiences
3) Previous social experiences
4) Fine motor skills
5) Attitudes
6) Motivational levels
4) Fine motor skills is INCORRECT as it exists within the task domain (not the individual domain).
Writing is an example of a ______ characteristic, while playing the piano is _____.
Unimanual; bimanual
When considering the type of terrain a person is ambulating on and the presence of distractions, what characteristic affecting motor learning is being discussed?
Environment
Outline motor learning, in the context of environment, during the early learning stages versus later learning stages.
Early learning – stable, predictable, closed environments should be used (ie. walking in rehab centre).
As learning progresses, environment should be varied and incorporate real world open environments. (ie. practice ambulation at home, in community, over curbs, over rough terrain.
Which two variables can be externally manipulated by the PT which have major influences on motor learning?
1) Practice
2) Feedback
What is the strongest predictor of motor skill learning in adults?
Practice
What is the power law of practice?
Immediate improvement in performance typically occurs during the initial stages of practice, followed by smaller gains later on.
T/F: Incorrect movement patterns/faulty habits and postures must be learned before correct movements can be mastered.
False. Faulty movement patterns must be UNLEARNED.
What 2 factors are important in determining whether a movement pattern is faulty?
1) Energy consumption – movements should be performed at a low energy cost
2) Whether movement is harmful - should not cost a person with respect to degenerative changes over time
