Relatedness as a contextual catalyst in motor learning: the socially embedded motor learning framework

Area of Science:

• Motor learning research
• Social psychology
• Skill acquisition

Background:

• Traditional motor learning models focus on isolated information processing.
• Social factors influencing skill acquisition are underexplored.
• Self-Determination Theory (SDT) offers a framework to understand social influences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To reframe motor learning as a socially embedded process using SDT.
• To propose that relatedness (feeling connected and supported) is crucial for learning.
• To introduce the Socially Embedded Motor Learning (SEML) framework.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical application of SDT to motor learning.
• Advancement of three testable propositions regarding relatedness, autonomy, and competence.
• Identification of boundary conditions influencing motor learning effects.
• Outline of a methodological agenda for future research.

Main Results:

• Relatedness amplifies the effects of autonomy and competence support on learning.
• Psychological safety, mediated by relatedness, promotes adaptive learning behaviors like error tolerance.
• Cooperative learning structures enhance motor learning more than individual practice when relatedness is supported.

Conclusions:

• Motor learning is significantly influenced by social context and the learner's sense of relatedness.
• The SEML framework provides a novel perspective on skill acquisition, integrating motivational psychology and motor control.
• Practical implications exist for coaches, educators, and therapists to optimize learning environments.