The contribution of verbalization to action

Previous studies have shown that verbalization, in the form of self-guided instruction, is an effective cognitive strategy used to enhance motor skill acquisition and performance. However, past research has not explicitly examined which aspects of motor output are affected (whether beneficially or deleteriously) by verbalization. In the current study, we conducted two separate experiments in which a total of 80 healthy participants, aged 18-27, completed a novel motor sequence learning task. Half of the participants in each experiment were pre-trained in the sequence using verbalization, while the other half was either trained motorically, or not trained at all. Rote memorization of verbal labels facilitated motor sequence learning, motor control, and action maintenance, but not action planning of the motor sequence. Potential underlying mechanisms as well as clinical implications are discussed.