Bridging the divide in motor learning research

Motor learning underlies our ability to acquire and perfect movements across all domains of human behaviour. Its study encompasses two distinct but related endeavours: basic research on how we learn movement skills and applied research on how to enhance skill acquisition in real-world contexts. Despite their natural complementarity, these approaches developed historically in two largely independent communities with different disciplinary roots. One is closely associated with computational neuroscience and focuses predominantly on basic research. The other comes from experimental psychology and movement sciences with a stronger focus on applied research. The division between these communities is reflected in the experimental tasks they use, the theoretical frameworks they develop and the cultural norms that shape their training and communication. In this Perspective, we scrutinize this divide, review emerging efforts towards better integration and identify future opportunities. We contend that bridging these gaps can build a more comprehensive science of motor learning.