General motor representations are developed during action-observation.
This study was designed to examine the generality of motor learning by action-observation. During practice, action-observation participants watched a learning model (e.g., physical practice participants) perform a motor sequence-timing task involving mouse/cursor movements on a computer screen; control participants watched a blank screen. Participants transferred to either a congruent (same mouse-cursor gain), or an incongruent (different mouse-cursor gain) condition. As predicted, motor sequence timing was learned through action-observation as well as physical practice. Moreover, transfer of learning to an incongruent set of task demands indicates that the motor representation developed through observation includes generalised visual-motor procedures associated with the use of feedback utilization.
Hayes
Spencer J
SJ
Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, Faculty of Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Tom Reilly Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK. s.hayes@ljmu.ac.uk
Elliott
Digby
D
Bennett
Simon J
SJ
D000293:Adolescent; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D009048:Motor Skills / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D019370:Observation / Q000379:methods; D011214:Practice, Psychological; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D014163:Transfer, Psychology; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult