Motor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.

This study sought evidence of observational motor learning, a type of learning in which observation of the skilled performance of another person not only facilitates motor skill acquisition but does so by contributing to the formation of effector-specific motor representations. Previous research has...

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Autors principals: Heyes, C, Foster, C
Format: Journal article
Idioma:English
Publicat: 2002
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author Heyes, C
Foster, C
author_facet Heyes, C
Foster, C
author_sort Heyes, C
collection OXFORD
description This study sought evidence of observational motor learning, a type of learning in which observation of the skilled performance of another person not only facilitates motor skill acquisition but does so by contributing to the formation of effector-specific motor representations. Previous research has indicated that observation of skilled performance engages cognitive processes similar to those occurring during action execution or physical practice, but has not demonstrated that these include processes involved in effector-specific representation. In two experiments, observer subjects watched the experimenter performing a serial reaction time (SRT) task with a six-item unique sequence before sequence knowledge was assessed by response time and/or free generation measures. The results suggest that: (1) subjects can acquire sequence information by watching another person performing the task (Experiments 1-2); (2) observation results in as much sequence learning as task practice when learning is measured by reaction times (RTs) and more than task practice when sequence learning is measured by free generation performance (Experiment 2, Part 1); and (3) sequence knowledge acquired by model observation can be encoded motorically--that is, in an effector-specific fashion (Experiment 2, Part 2).
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spelling oxford-uuid:049cbc5c-1ae2-41d3-afc3-cfcbc974bddb2022-03-26T08:52:42ZMotor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:049cbc5c-1ae2-41d3-afc3-cfcbc974bddbEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2002Heyes, CFoster, CThis study sought evidence of observational motor learning, a type of learning in which observation of the skilled performance of another person not only facilitates motor skill acquisition but does so by contributing to the formation of effector-specific motor representations. Previous research has indicated that observation of skilled performance engages cognitive processes similar to those occurring during action execution or physical practice, but has not demonstrated that these include processes involved in effector-specific representation. In two experiments, observer subjects watched the experimenter performing a serial reaction time (SRT) task with a six-item unique sequence before sequence knowledge was assessed by response time and/or free generation measures. The results suggest that: (1) subjects can acquire sequence information by watching another person performing the task (Experiments 1-2); (2) observation results in as much sequence learning as task practice when learning is measured by reaction times (RTs) and more than task practice when sequence learning is measured by free generation performance (Experiment 2, Part 1); and (3) sequence knowledge acquired by model observation can be encoded motorically--that is, in an effector-specific fashion (Experiment 2, Part 2).
spellingShingle Heyes, C
Foster, C
Motor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.
title Motor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.
title_full Motor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.
title_fullStr Motor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.
title_full_unstemmed Motor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.
title_short Motor learning by observation: evidence from a serial reaction time task.
title_sort motor learning by observation evidence from a serial reaction time task
work_keys_str_mv AT heyesc motorlearningbyobservationevidencefromaserialreactiontimetask
AT fosterc motorlearningbyobservationevidencefromaserialreactiontimetask