week 9: Motor Learning Flashcards
(10 cards)
- Define motor learning and distinguish it from performance.
Model Answer:
Motor learning is defined as a set of processes associated with practice or experience, resulting in a relatively permanent change in the capability for skilled motor performance. Unlike performance, which can vary moment-to-moment and is observable, learning is inferred from changes in performance over time and is relatively permanent.
- Describe the structural and functional adaptations involved in motor learning.
Model Answer:
Motor learning induces both structural (e.g., synaptogenesis, cortical reorganization) and functional (e.g., improved strength, coordination, endurance) adaptations in the motor cortex, basal ganglia, cerebellum, spinal cord, and other CNS areas. Functional changes support improved skill performance, while structural changes reflect lasting neural plasticity.
- What are the ART components of assessing motor learning and what do they measure?
Model Answer:
* Acquisition: Measures performance during practice sessions.
* Retention: Tests performance after a delay to assess the permanence of learning.
* Transfer: Evaluates the ability to apply learned skills to novel conditions (e.g., switching hands or adapting to a new sport scenario).
- Describe the three stages of motor learning and key characteristics of each.
Model Answer:
1. Cognitive Stage: High attention required, performance is inconsistent, errors are frequent; focus is on “what to do.”
2. Motor Stage: Improved consistency and reduced errors; movements become smoother and quicker.
3. Autonomous Stage: Skill becomes automatic, minimal cognitive load, resistant to interference, continued refinement is possible.
- Explain how brain activity and structure change during early vs late stages of motor learning.
Model Answer:
* Early stages engage diverse brain regions including prefrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, pre-supplementary motor area, cerebellum, and basal ganglia, reflecting decision-making, sensory integration, and initial skill acquisition.
* Late stages show refined activity in the supplementary motor area, cerebellum (for speed control), basal ganglia (for learned sequences), and parietal cortex (for storage and adaptation).
- What is the impact of practice scheduling on motor learning?
Model Answer:
* Massed practice involves minimal rest between trials. It may lead to fatigue but has little effect on long-term retention.
* Distributed practice includes longer rest intervals and tends to lead to better performance and faster skill acquisition.
Empirical studies (e.g., typing task in postal workers) show distributed practice leads to quicker and more efficient learning.
- Compare blocked and random practice formats for multiple tasks.
Model Answer:
* Blocked practice: Each task is practiced in a fixed sequence. It enhances short-term performance but limits adaptability.
* Random practice: Tasks are mixed randomly. It leads to slower initial performance but enhances retention and transfer, especially in real-life settings.
Practicing in the format in which the skill will be executed (e.g., randomly) improves learning transfer.
- What is the role of feedback in motor learning? Differentiate between types.
Model Answer:
Feedback is crucial for motor learning. It can be:
* Intrinsic: From the body (e.g., proprioception, vision, touch).
* Extrinsic (Augmented): External sources like coaches or video reviews.
o Knowledge of Results (KR): Outcome-focused (e.g., how far a ball was kicked).
o Knowledge of Performance (KP): Technique-focused (e.g., elbow position during a throw).
Both KR and KP aid learning, but extrinsic feedback, particularly early in learning, is especially helpful.
- Can motor learning occur without intrinsic feedback? Explain with evidence.
Model Answer:
Yes, studies (e.g., Vidoni & Boyd, 2008) show that motor learning can occur even in the absence of intrinsic feedback (e.g., proprioception or vision), provided augmented extrinsic feedback is available. This underscores the utility of external cues like video or verbal feedback in skill acquisition.
- How does motor cortex representation change with motor skill learning?
Model Answer:
With practice, specific regions in the motor cortex (e.g., areas controlling wrist and fingers) show increased representation in skilled tasks, while less-used areas (e.g., shoulder) may reduce in representation. This reorganization occurs rapidly and is a hallmark of cortical plasticity in motor learning.
