A comparison of intra- and inter-limb relative motion information in modelling a novel motor skill

MSL research field: 
Skill acquisition
TitleA comparison of intra- and inter-limb relative motion information in modelling a novel motor skill
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2006
AuthorsBreslin, G, Hodges, NJ, Williams, AM, KREMER, J, CURRAN, W
JournalHuman Movement Science
Volume25
Issue6
Pagination753 - 766
Date Published12/2006
ISSN01679457
KeywordsAction observation
Abstract

The importance of intra- and inter-limb relative motion in modelling a whole body coordination skill was examined. Participants were assigned to one of four groups: Full-Body point light model of a cricket bowler, INTRA-LIMB relative motion of the bowling arm, INTER-LIMB relative motions of the right and left wrists or NO-Relative motion, showing only the motions of the right wrist. During 60 acquisition trials, participants viewed the model five times before each 10-trial block. Retention was examined the following day. Although all groups improved on intra-limb coordination of the bowling arm, the INTRA-LIMB and FULL-BODY groups were more accurate than the INTER-LIMB group in acquisition, although these groups did not differ in retention. For inter-limb coordination, the three groups who received relative motion information performed more like the model than the NO-Relative motion group (even though the INTRA-LIMB group did not see the other limb). The amount of information within a display plays a constraining role on acquisition, perhaps more so than the type of information, such that the acquisition of coordination is more an emergent feature of observational learning, rather than a direct approximation of the model.

DOI10.1016/j.humov.2006.04.002
Short TitleHuman Movement Science
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