Absence of after-effects for observers after watching a visuomotor adaptation

MSL research field: 
Skill acquisition
TitleAbsence of after-effects for observers after watching a visuomotor adaptation
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2010
AuthorsOng, NT, Hodges, NJ
JournalExperimental Brain Research
Volume205
Issue3
Pagination325 - 334
Date Published9/2010
ISSN1432-1106
KeywordsAction observation
Abstract

We tested whether observational practice would elicit after-effects in a normal environment following observation of an actor performing in a perturbed visuomotor environment. Two actor groups (with and without vision of the hand) practiced reaching to visual targets with the cursor rotated 30° to the actual hand movement. An observer group viewed this adaptation. Observers demonstrated significant learning when they subsequently performed the reaching task in the perturbed environment. However, different to both actor groups, observers did not show after-effects in the normal visuomotor condition. Our findings imply that there is a qualitative difference in the processes between observational and physical practice and suggest that physical exposure is required to update an internal model of the visuomotor environment.

DOI10.1007/s00221-010-2366-4
Short TitleExp Brain Res
Full Text