Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 19, 2026

The "Motor" in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning: A Foot-stepping Serial Reaction Time Task

The "Motor" in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning: A Foot-stepping Serial Reaction Time Task

Published on: May 3, 2018

Effector-related sequence learning in a bimanual-bisequential serial reaction time task.

Michael P Berner¹, Joachim Hoffmann

¹Department of Psychology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany. berner@psychologie.uni-wuerzburg.de

Psychological Research

|November 9, 2006

Summary

This study on serial reaction time (SRT) tasks reveals two distinct sequence learning mechanisms. One, stimulus-based learning, allows for intermanual transfer, while motor-based learning does not.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Mixed signals? Morphological and molecular evidence suggest a color polymorphism in some neotropical polythore damselflies.

PloS one·2015

Same author

Stimulus-dependent modulation of perceptual and motor learning in a serial reaction time task.

Advances in cognitive psychology·2012

Same author

The specificity of temporal expectancy: evidence from a variable foreperiod paradigm.

Quarterly journal of experimental psychology (2006)·2011

Same author

Response specific temporal expectancy: evidence from a variable foreperiod paradigm.

Attention, perception & psychophysics·2011

Same author

Impact of instruction on the acquisition of sequence knowledge in a sensorimotor task.

Acta psychologica·2011

Same author

The scope and precision of specific temporal expectancy: evidence from a variable foreperiod paradigm.

Attention, perception & psychophysics·2011

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Motor Learning
Neuroscience

Background:

The serial reaction time (SRT) task is a common paradigm for studying implicit sequence learning.
Understanding the mechanisms underlying sequence learning and intermanual transfer is crucial for cognitive and motor neuroscience.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the mechanisms of sequence learning in a bimanual-bisequential SRT task.
To determine whether intermanual transfer occurs and under what conditions.
To differentiate between stimulus-based and motor-based learning mechanisms.

Main Methods:

Participants performed two uncorrelated key-press sequences simultaneously with their left and right hands.
Location-based imperative stimuli were presented.

More Related Videos

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

Published on: August 25, 2020

Using Virtual Reality to Transfer Motor Skill Knowledge from One Hand to Another

Using Virtual Reality to Transfer Motor Skill Knowledge from One Hand to Another

Published on: September 18, 2017

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 19, 2026

The "Motor" in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning: A Foot-stepping Serial Reaction Time Task

The "Motor" in Implicit Motor Sequence Learning: A Foot-stepping Serial Reaction Time Task

Published on: May 3, 2018

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

An Emerging Target Paradigm to Evoke Fast Visuomotor Responses on Human Upper Limb Muscles

Published on: August 25, 2020

Using Virtual Reality to Transfer Motor Skill Knowledge from One Hand to Another

Using Virtual Reality to Transfer Motor Skill Knowledge from One Hand to Another

Published on: September 18, 2017

Experiments varied the number of stimuli per trial to isolate learning mechanisms.

Main Results:

Independent sequence learning was observed for both hands.
Intermanual transfer occurred when stimuli specified responses for both hands.
Transfer was incomplete after extended practice and absent when stimuli did not support separate stimulus-stimulus or response-effect learning.

Conclusions:

Two distinct sequence learning mechanisms exist: one stimulus-based (allowing intermanual transfer) and one motor-based (without transfer).
The findings suggest that the nature of stimulus-response contingencies influences the type of learning and transfer observed.