Transfer of Learning in Motor Control and Learning

Summary

This video delves into the concept of transfer of learning, where motor skills acquired in one environment are applied in another, such as from practice to competition. It explores positive and negative transfer, the identical elements theory, and transfer appropriate processing theory. The video also discusses the sequence of learning skills, the impact of previous experiences, and bilateral transfer, including debates on symmetric vs. asymmetric transfer and cognitive versus motor control explanations for inter-manual skill transfer.

Takeaways

• 📚 Transfer of learning is the concept of applying motor skills learned in one environment to another, such as from practice to competition.
• 🔄 Previous skills can positively facilitate, negatively interfere with, or have no effect on learning a new skill, known as positive, negative, and zero transfer respectively.
• 🧠 Two main hypotheses for positive transfer are the Identical Elements Theory, which focuses on the similarity of component parts or characteristics, and the Transfer Appropriate Processing Theory, which emphasizes similar cognitive processing required between two skills.
• 🎾 Negative transfer occurs when past skills interfere with learning a new one, such as the difference in wrist movement between tennis and badminton.
• ⏳ Negative transfer is usually temporary and occurs mainly in the early stages of learning, and can be overcome with practice.
• 🚗 Negative transfer is likely when there's a change in spatial locations or timing structure of the movement, like driving a car with a different layout or dancing to a new rhythm.
• 🤔 Three reasons for negative transfer include memory representation, cognitive confusion, and intrinsic dynamics, which involve the transfer of task-specific coordination tendencies.
• 🤹‍♂️ Bilateral transfer refers to learning a skill with one hand and having it positively affect learning the same skill with the other hand, also known as inter-manual transfer or cross-education.
• 🔄 The debate between symmetric and asymmetric bilateral transfer suggests that learning a skill with one's dominant hand may transfer better to the non-dominant hand.
• 🧠 Cognitive explanations for bilateral transfer involve the transfer of cognitive information about how to perform a skill, while motor control explanations involve the establishment of a generalized motor program.
• 🧠 Brain inter-hemispheric transfer contributes to bilateral transfer, as motor areas on both sides of the brain are activated even when using one hand.

Q & A

What is the definition of transfer of learning?

Transfer of learning is the idea that we learn a motor skill in a practice environment and need to transfer what we've learned to another environment, like a competition or performance situation.

How can previous skills affect the learning of new skills?

Previous skills can either make the new skill easier to learn, interfere with learning, or have no effect at all.

What is positive transfer of learning?

Positive transfer occurs when previous experience facilitates learning or transferring a skill to a new environment.

What is negative transfer of learning?

Negative transfer occurs when previous experience interferes with learning or transferring a skill to a new environment.

What are the two main hypotheses about why positive transfer occurs?

The two main hypotheses are the identical elements theory, which states that transfer is due to the similarity between the component parts or characteristics of the skills, and the transfer appropriate processing theory, which suggests that similar cognitive processing required by the two skills leads to positive transfer.

Can you give an example of negative transfer?

An example of negative transfer is when a tennis player, used to keeping their wrist stiff, tries to learn badminton, where wrist snapping is required. The habit from tennis interferes with learning the new skill.

What are the proposed reasons for why negative transfer occurs?

Negative transfer can occur due to memory representation, cognitive confusion, and intrinsic dynamics. These factors involve how previous experiences and established coordination patterns interfere with learning new skills.

What is bilateral transfer?

Bilateral transfer refers to the transfer of a skill learned with one hand to the other hand, making it faster and easier to learn the skill with the other hand.

What is the difference between symmetric and asymmetric bilateral transfer?

Symmetric bilateral transfer means there is equal transfer regardless of which hand the skill is learned with first. Asymmetric transfer means there is a better hand to start with, usually the dominant hand, which results in better transfer to the non-dominant hand.

What are the explanations for why bilateral transfer occurs?

The cognitive explanation suggests that cognitive information about how to complete the skill is transferred. The motor control explanation involves a generalized motor program (GMP) that can be applied to both limbs. Additionally, brain inter-hemispheric transfer occurs, activating motor areas on both sides of the brain during learning.