Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Observational Learning01:12

Observational Learning

259
Albert Bandura's observational learning, also known as imitation or modeling, occurs when a person observes and imitates another's behavior. It is a quicker process than operant conditioning. A well-known example is the Bobo doll study, where children who saw an adult acting aggressively towards the doll were more likely to act aggressively when left alone, compared to those who observed a nonaggressive adult. Many psychologists view observational learning as a form of latent learning...
259
Modeling in Therapy01:26

Modeling in Therapy

135
Modeling, a key technique in therapy, uses observational learning to help clients acquire and practice new skills by watching therapists demonstrate desired behaviors. This approach, rooted in Albert Bandura's concept of vicarious learning, plays a significant role in therapeutic interventions for various psychological conditions, including social anxiety, ADHD, and depression.
Participant Modeling
Participant modeling involves therapists demonstrating calm and effective behaviors in...
135
Steps in the Modeling Process01:14

Steps in the Modeling Process

274
Albert Bandura's theory of observational learning identifies four critical processes: attention, retention, motor reproduction, and reinforcement or motivation.
Attention is the first necessary component for observational learning. It involves focusing on what the model is doing and saying. For example, if you decide to take a drawing class to enhance your skills, you need to pay close attention to the instructor's words and hand movements. The characteristics of the model significantly...
274
Motor Unit Stimulation01:20

Motor Unit Stimulation

1.7K
When the neuron of a motor unit fires an action potential, it triggers a series of events, leading to a twitch contraction in the muscle fibers. The process of excitation-contraction coupling is crucial in relaying the action potential to the muscle fibers.
The latent period of contraction marks the onset of excitation-contraction coupling, when the action potential propagates across the sarcolemma, preparing the muscle fibers for contraction. As the fibers enter the contraction phase, the...
1.7K
Muscle Coordination and Action01:24

Muscle Coordination and Action

1.7K
Muscle coordination is a complex and finely tuned process essential for smooth and purposeful movements like flexion, extension, adduction, abduction, and rotation. The human body orchestrates the actions of various muscles working in concert, each with a specific role. Four functional types describe how muscles work together: agonist, antagonist, synergist, and fixator.
Agonists
Agonist muscles, often called prime movers, are the primary muscles responsible for producing a specific movement....
1.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Home-Based Immersive Virtual Reality to Improve Motor Performance in Children and Adolescents With Developmental Coordination Disorder: Crossover Study.

JMIR serious games·2026
Same author

Usability of a virtual reality circle drawing task to assess upper-limb motor performance in children and young people with cerebral palsy: pilot study.

BMC pediatrics·2026
Same author

Grounded expectations: stability of sensorimotor priors during vertical pointing in a virtual environment.

Journal of neurophysiology·2025
Same author

Evidence for the dominance of visual-perceptual mechanisms of action prediction following isolated and sequential visual and motor practice.

Psychological research·2025
Same author

Perspectives of stroke survivors and informal caregivers on home-based mental practice for upper limb recovery after stroke: a qualitative co-design study.

Neuropsychological rehabilitation·2025
Same author

Virtual reality current use, facilitators and barriers to implementation in paediatric physiotherapy: cross-sectional online survey of UK paediatric physiotherapists.

Disability and rehabilitation. Assistive technology·2024
Same journal

Self-other discrimination in face recognition depending on personal familiarity: investigating a sample consisting of Japanese and Han Chinese women.

Psychological research·2026
Same journal

Sounds of creativity: musical, creative, and language factors associated with singing and creative singing.

Psychological research·2026
Same journal

Does sport expertise bridge the sex gap in mental rotation? Bayesian evidence for the critical role of visuospatial demands.

Psychological research·2026
Same journal

The development of an optimal learning strategy for high-similarity categories: the effect of example sequence on children's category learning.

Psychological research·2026
Same journal

Musical training increases anticipatory responding and predictive control in sequence learning.

Psychological research·2026
Same journal

When emotions hurt: negative interpretations of bodily signals and interoceptive difficulties in fibromyalgia.

Psychological research·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
12:33

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Published on: December 31, 2013

9.0K

Enhancing motor imagery practice using synchronous action observation.

Daniel L Eaves1, Nicola J Hodges2, Gavin Buckingham3

  • 1School of Biomedical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. daniel.eaves@newcastle.ac.uk.

Psychological Research
|December 27, 2022
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Combining action observation (AO) with motor imagery (MI), known as AO+MI, significantly enhances motor skill acquisition and practice. This review explores its benefits across skill levels and applications, including neurorehabilitation.

More Related Videos

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Neurorehabilitation Through EEG, Motor Imagery, and Virtual Reality
10:14

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Neurorehabilitation Through EEG, Motor Imagery, and Virtual Reality

Published on: May 10, 2024

1.1K
Author Spotlight: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Movement Observation in Cerebral Palsy
07:20

Author Spotlight: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Movement Observation in Cerebral Palsy

Published on: August 9, 2024

1.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation
12:33

Corticospinal Excitability Modulation During Action Observation

Published on: December 31, 2013

9.0K
Author Spotlight: Enhancing Neurorehabilitation Through EEG, Motor Imagery, and Virtual Reality
10:14

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Neurorehabilitation Through EEG, Motor Imagery, and Virtual Reality

Published on: May 10, 2024

1.1K
Author Spotlight: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Movement Observation in Cerebral Palsy
07:20

Author Spotlight: Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Movement Observation in Cerebral Palsy

Published on: August 9, 2024

1.3K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Motor Learning
  • Sports Science

Background:

  • Motor imagery (MI) and action observation (AO) are established methods for motor skill enhancement.
  • Synchronous practice combining AO and MI (AO+MI) offers potential synergistic benefits.
  • Understanding the optimal application of AO+MI is crucial for maximizing motor learning.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize research on the facilitatory effects of AO+MI practice.
  • To explore theoretical explanations and practical considerations for AO+MI across different skill levels.
  • To discuss novel applications and future research directions for AO+MI.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of behavioral and neuroimaging studies on AO+MI.
  • Analysis of skill acquisition stages, expertise effects, and attentional focus.
  • Examination of coordinative AO+MI and the dual action simulation hypothesis.
  • Review of AO+MI applications in motor rehabilitation.

Main Results:

  • AO+MI generally shows facilitatory effects on motor skill acquisition, particularly in early stages.
  • Optimal AO+MI practice may involve specific model selection, attentional focus, and presentation perspectives.
  • Coordinative AO+MI and dual action simulation present promising research avenues.
  • AO+MI demonstrates potential in neurorehabilitation contexts.

Conclusions:

  • AO+MI offers significant advantages over standalone AO or MI for motor practice.
  • Further research is warranted to optimize AO+MI protocols and explore its full potential.
  • AO+MI holds promise for diverse applications, from sports to rehabilitation.