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Transfer of work decrement in motor learning
J S McIntyre1, W Mostoway, R A Stojak
1a Department of Psychology , University of Manitoba.
Journal of Motor Behavior
|August 22, 2013
Summary
Massed practice effects on motor skills are not explained by Hull's negative drive theory. Instead, decrements in performance are better understood through decreased arousal levels, as shown in pursuit rotor and two-hand coordinator tasks.
Area of Science:
- Motor Learning
- Cognitive Psychology
- Human Performance
Background:
- Massed practice, characterized by minimal rest intervals, can negatively impact skill acquisition and performance.
- Hull's drive theory, specifically the concept of an inhibitory drive (Ir), has been proposed to explain these decremental effects.
- Alternative explanations suggest that reduced arousal levels during massed practice may underlie performance deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether the negative effects of massed practice are attributable to Hull's Ir theory.
- To examine the transfer of massed practice decrements between different motor tasks.
- To evaluate the explanatory power of arousal-based theories versus drive-based theories for massed practice effects.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted using distinct motor tasks: the pursuit rotor and the two-hand coordinator.
- Participants engaged in massed practice conditions for each task.
- The study assessed performance decrements and reminiscence effects within and across tasks to test transferability.
Main Results:
- Decremental effects of massed practice did not transfer between the pursuit rotor and the two-hand coordinator tasks.
- The observed performance decrements were not consistent with predictions derived from Hull's Ir theory.
- Findings suggest that massed practice does not induce a generalized negative drive that impacts performance across different motor skills.
Conclusions:
- Hull's drive interpretation of massed practice decrements is not supported by the experimental evidence.
- The results align with theories positing that decreased arousal levels, rather than inhibitory drive, are responsible for performance deficits under massed practice conditions.
- Motor skill learning and performance are influenced by task-specific factors and arousal modulation rather than a universal inhibitory drive mechanism.
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