Practice (anyhow) makes perfect: Effects of attentional focus on learning complex motor skills

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wichanart Ted Thengtrirat ◽  
John McLean
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Attentional Focus ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
Complex Motor Skills

Focus of Attention Verbalizations in Beginning Band: A Multiple Case Study

2020 ◽  
pp. 002242942097363
Author(s):  
John E. Parsons ◽  
Amy L. Simmons
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Multiple Case Study ◽  
Focus Of Attention ◽  
Beginning Band ◽  
External Focus ◽  
Video Recordings ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Complex Motor Skills

Although the effects of focus of attention (FOA) on the performance of gross motor skills are now well understood, less is known about the role of FOA in naturalistic classroom settings where learners are engaged in the ongoing acquisition and refinement of complex motor skills. The purpose of this study, the first of its kind, was to explore how music teachers focus learners’ attention on physical actions (internal focus) and on the effects of those actions (external focus). We recorded three experienced band directors teaching beginner classes (sixth graders) and completed a content analysis of video recordings to describe (a) teachers’ use of internally focused (IF) and externally focused (EF) verbalizations and (b) patterns among IF and EF verbalizations. These teachers most often directed student attention to internal aspects of performance, and they also paired IF and EF statements to clearly convey how those actions affect external outcomes. Although our descriptive multiple case study design precludes generalization, these data suggest possibilities for future studies that could explore relationships between teachers’ FOA verbalizations and skill development in music classrooms.

Inter-limb transfer of both simple and complex motor skills is maintained in elderly adults

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 363
Author(s):  
Daina S.E. Dickins ◽  
Martin V. Sale ◽  
Jason B. Mattingley ◽  
Marc R. Kamke
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Elderly Adults ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
Complex Motor Skills

scholarly journals Neural changes in the primate brain correlated with the evolution of complex motor skills

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Yamazaki ◽  
K. Hikishima ◽  
M. Saiki ◽  
M. Inada ◽  
E. Sasaki ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Primate Brain ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
Complex Motor Skills

Field Dependence–Independence in Complex Motor Skills

2004 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 575-583 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aymeric Guillot ◽  
Christian Collet
Keyword(s):  
Field Dependence ◽  
Motor Skills ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
Complex Motor Skills

Classical but Not Rap Music Significantly Improves Transferability and Long-Term Acquisition of Laparoscopic Suturing Skills: A Randomized Controlled Trial

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (06) ◽  
pp. 541-547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefan Mietzsch ◽  
Robert Bergholz ◽  
Johannes Boettcher ◽  
Lea Klippgen ◽  
Julia Wenskus ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Classical Music ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Laparoscopic Suturing ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Complex Motor Skills ◽  
Suturing Skills

Abstract Introduction Acoustic distractions have been shown to increase the level of stress and workload in the operating room (OR). Noise significantly reduces surgical performance, but experienced surgeons are able to reduce the acoustic perception of their surroundings to maintain a high level of performance in complex surgical tasks. However, music has been shown to improve learning and performance of complex motor skills. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of music on transferability and long-term acquisition of laparoscopic suturing skills. Materials and Methods To evaluate the effects of music on training, subjects were asked to perform four surgeon's square knots on a bowel model within 30 minutes—prior and post 3 hours of hands-on training. To examine long-term skills, the same students were asked to perform a comparable, but more complex, task (four slip knots in a model of esophageal atresia) 6 months post initial training, as a follow-up measurement. Total time, knot stability (evaluated via tensiometer), suture accuracy, knot quality (Muresan scale), and laparoscopic performance (Munz checklist) were assessed. Results Twenty-four students were included in the study; after simple randomization, 16 were trained while exposed to music (eight to Bach and eight to Bushido) and eight with traditional methods. Seven were lost due to follow-up. Both groups had comparable baseline characteristics and significantly improved after training, in all parameters assessed in this study. Subjects that trained with classical music were superior in terms of speed (p = 0.006), knot quality (p = 0.014), and procedural performance (p = 0.034) compared with controls. Conclusion Music during acquisition of complex motor skills, like laparoscopic suturing and knot tying, is superior to traditional training. Especially music considered nondisturbing significantly improved speed, knot quality, and performance. Thus, incorporation of pleasant music into surgical skills training and the OR should be considered.

scholarly journals A Hessian-based decomposition characterizes how performance in complex motor skills depends on individual strategy and variability

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paolo Tommasino ◽  
Antonella Maselli ◽  
Domenico Campolo ◽  
Francesco Lacquaniti ◽  
Andrea d’Avella
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Real Life ◽  
High Dimensional ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
Small Set ◽  
Variability Index ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Complex Motor Skills ◽  
Derivatives Of ◽  
Selection Of

AbstractIn complex real-life motor skills such as unconstrained throwing, performance depends on how accurate is on average the outcome of noisy, high-dimensional, and redundant actions. What characteristics of the action distribution relate to performance and how different individuals select specific action distributions are key questions in motor control. Previous computational approaches have highlighted that variability along the directions of first order derivatives of the action-to-outcome mapping affects performance the most, that different mean actions may be associated to regions of the actions space with different sensitivity to noise, and that action covariation in addition to noise magnitude matters. However, a method to relate individual high-dimensional action distribution and performance is still missing. Here we introduce a decomposition of performance into a small set of indicators that compactly and directly characterize the key performance-related features of the distribution of high-dimensional redundant actions. Central to the method is the observation that, if performance is quantified as a mean score, the Hessian (second order derivatives) of the action-to-score function determines the noise sensitivity of the action distribution. We can then approximate the mean score as the sum of the score of the mean action and a tolerance-variability index which depends on both Hessian and action covariance. Such index can be expressed as the product of three terms capturing overall noise magnitude, overall noise sensitivity, and alignment of the most variable and most noise sensitive directions. We apply this method to the analysis of unconstrained throwing actions by non-expert participants and show that, consistently across four different throwing targets, each participant shows a specific selection of mean action score and tolerance-variability index as well as specific selection of noise magnitude and alignment indicators. Thus, participants with different strategies may display the same performance because they can trade off suboptimal mean action for better tolerance-variability and higher action variability for better alignment with more tolerant directions in action space.Author summaryWhy do people differ in their performance of complex motor skills? In many real-life motor tasks achieving a goal requires selecting an appropriate high-dimensional action out of infinitely many goal-equivalent actions. Because of sensorimotor noise, we are unable to execute the exact same action twice and our performance depends on how accurate we are on average. Thus, to understand why people perform differently we need to characterize how their action distribution relates to their mean task score. While better performance is often associated to smaller variability around a more accurate mean action, performance also depends on the relationship between the directions of highest variability in action space and the directions in which action variability affects the most the outcome of the action. However, characterizing such geometric relationship when actions are high dimensional is challenging. In this work we introduce a method that allows to characterize the key performance-related features of the distribution of high-dimensional actions by a small set of indicators. We can then compare such indicators in different people performing a complex task (such as unconstrained throwing) and directly characterize the most skilled ones but also identify different strategies that distinguish people with similar performance.

scholarly journals Comparing video-based versions of Halsted’s ‘See One, Do One’ and Peyton’s ‘4-step Approach’ for teaching surgical skills: a randomized controlled trial

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas Benedikt Seifert ◽  
Benedikt Schnurr ◽  
Maria-Christina Stefanescu ◽  
Robert Sader ◽  
Miriam Rüsseler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Motor Skills ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Item Analysis ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Learning Retention ◽  
Complex Motor ◽  
High Level ◽  
Complex Motor Skills ◽  
Teaching Time

Abstract Background: Teaching complex motor skills at a high level remains a challenge in medical education. Established methods often involve large amounts of teaching time and material. The implementation of standardized videos in those methods might help save resources. In this study, video-based versions of Peyton’s ‘4-step Approach’ and Halsted’s ‘See One, Do One’ are compared. We hypothesized that the video-based ‘4-step Approach’ would be more effective in learning procedural skills than the ‘See One, Do One Approach’. Methods: One-hundred-two naïve students were trained to perform a structured facial examination and a Bellocq’s tamponade with either Halsted’s (n = 57) or Peyton’s (n = 45) method within a curricular course. Steps 1 (Halsted) and 1-3 (Peyton) were replaced by standardized teaching videos. The performance was measured directly (T1) and 8 weeks (T2) after the intervention by blinded examiners using structured checklists. An item-analysis was also carried out. Results: At T1, performance scores significantly differed in favor of the video-based ‘4-step Approach’ (p < 0.01) for both skills. No differences were found at T2 (p < 0.362). The item-analysis revealed that Peyton’s method was significantly more effective in the complex subparts of both skills. Conclusions: The modified video-based version of Peyton’s ‘4-step Approach’ is the preferred method for teaching especially complex motor skills in a large curricular scale. Furthermore, an effective way to utilize Peyton’s method in a group setting could be demonstrated. Further studies have to investigate the long-term learning retention of this method in a formative setting.

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