describe these nonlinear changes in motor performance in order to characterize skill acquisition. In particular, the power law of practice states that the logarithm of motor response time decreases linearly with the logarithm of the number of practice trials ( Newell & Rosenbloom, 1981 ), which appeared to
Search Results
How Common Is the Exponential Decay Pattern of Motor Skill Acquisition? A Brief Investigation
Geneviève N. Olivier, Christopher S. Walter, Serene S. Paul, Leland E. Dibble, and Sydney Y. Schaefer
The Effects of Observing a Learning Model (or Two) on Motor Skill Acquisition
Edward Hebert
result of decades of research, strong evidence supports the conclusion that the opportunity to observe a skilled or expert model enhances motor learning ( Ste-Marie et al., 2012 ). The benefit is greatest in the early stages of skill acquisition, and is enhanced when demonstrations are provided prior to
Curling Coaches’ Understanding of Their Role in Developing Performance Under Pressure Through Skill Acquisition
Elanor E. Cormack and Jamie Gillman
experiences to bear, and have different pressures on their own coaching. This study will explore curling coaches’ perception of their experiences, while looking to understand the viability of moving skill acquisition theory into coaching practice. Specifically, the study aims to ascertain the understanding
Goal-Directed Self-Talk Used During Technical Skill Acquisition: The Case of Novice Ultimate Frisbee Players
Alexander T. Latinjak, Marc Masó, and Nikos Comoutos
identical. In this study, we focused, on the functions of goal-directed self-talk, that is, the aims to which self-talk in used intuitively by athletes to facilitate skill acquisition and enhance performance. One major line of research on goal-directed self-talk has focused on the aims to which goal
Somatosensory Electrical Stimulation Does Not Augment Motor Skill Acquisition and Intermanual Transfer in Healthy Young Adults—A Pilot Study
János Négyesi, Menno P. Veldman, Kelly M.M. Berghuis, Marie Javet, József Tihanyi, and Tibor Hortobágyi
, 1999 ; Porter, Sakamoto, & Asanuma, 1990 ; Sawaki, Wu, Kaelin-Lang, & Cohen, 2006 ). In contrast, an increase in afferent input through mechanical vibration or electrical stimulation can potentiate motor skill acquisition and intermanual transfer ( Rothwell & Rosenkranz, 2005 ; Veldman, Maffiuletti
Neither Too Easy Nor Too Difficult: Effects of Different Success Criteria on Motor Skill Acquisition in Children
Seyyed Mohammadreza Mousavi, Jalal Dehghanizade, and Takehiro Iwatsuki
task in various fields ( Deci & Ryan, 2000 , 2008 ). Combining these two theories strongly confirmed the notion that expectancies in learning environments can influence the outcome of motor skill acquisition. One way to influence expectancies or competence has been to modify a task difficulty for
Introductory Remarks: Observation and Motor Skill Acquisition
Diane M. Ste-Marie
necessarily lead to motor skill acquisition benefits and considered the extant literature on the observation of applied motor tasks within the investigative technique of the 5Ws and 1H framework. That is, they framed their review around research questions associated with (1) why observation was being used (2
Skill Acquisition by Children with Autism: Influence of Prompts
Greg Reid, Douglas Collier, and Michelle Cauchon
Visual, verbal, and physical prompting systems promote motor skill acquisition in learners who are autistic (Collier & Reid, 1987). The purpose of the present study was to contrast the effectiveness of two instructional models, one that emphasized visual prompting and one that stressed physical prompting. Both models were designed to teach autistic children a bowling skill that was subdivided into 19 task analytic steps. All four subjects received 120 trials under both instructional models in a counterbalanced fashion. It was hypothesized that physical prompting would be the most effective model, but only limited support was generated in this regard. The subjects did benefit from carefully designed instruction, however, thus replicating previous findings.
The Utility of Head-Mounted Eye Gaze Tracking for Vision-in-Action Assessments to Enhance Skill Acquisition and Sport Performance: A Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats Analysis
Nikki Aitcheson-Huehn and Adam W. Kiefer
that has demonstrated utility for improving skilled performance; however, eye tracking has been somewhat limited in its adoption and growth for applied skill acquisition in sport. Mobile eye tracking, when synchronized with external video, provides insight into when and how an athlete uses visual
A Skill Acquisition Perspective on Early Specialization in Sport
David I. Anderson and Anthony M. Mayo
This paper examines the costs and benefits of early specialization in sport from a skill acquisition perspective. The focus is on whether early specialization in a single sport is the best way to facilitate the acquisition of skill in that sport. The paper is organized relative to the two major conceptual frameworks that have motivated much of the discussion about early specialization in sport: the theory of deliberate practice and the Developmental Model of Sport Participation. Our analysis reveals that while early specialization in sport is one way to reach elite status, it is not the only way. Considerable evidence shows that many elite athletes specialized in their sport late, following diversified experiences with other sports. These findings raise a number of exciting questions about the long-term development of skill in sport.
