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.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Transfer of Learning: Adapting Skills Across Environments

This paragraph introduces the concept of transfer of learning, which is the ability to apply motor skills learned in one environment to another, such as moving from practice to competition. It discusses how previous learning can positively facilitate, negatively interfere with, or have no effect on the learning of new skills. The paragraph also covers the sequence of learning skills, emphasizing the importance of order in an effective motor skills learning environment. Two main hypotheses for positive transfer are presented: identical elements theory, which relates to the similarity in component parts or characteristics between skills, and transfer appropriate processing theory, which suggests that similar cognitive processing between skills can lead to positive transfer.

05:01

🔄 Overcoming Negative Transfer: Adapting to New Movements

This paragraph delves into the phenomenon of negative transfer, where past skills can interfere with the acquisition of new ones. It explains that negative transfer can occur when a familiar stimulus requires a different response, such as when the environmental context is similar but the motor response is different. The paragraph outlines scenarios where spatial locations or timing structures of movements change, leading to potential interference. Three reasons for negative transfer are proposed: memory representation, where established perception-action couplings need to be altered; cognitive confusion, where there is uncertainty about what actions to take; and intrinsic dynamics, where task-specific coordination tendencies may either aid or compete with the learning of a new skill.

10:01

🤲 Bilateral Transfer: Learning Skills for Both Hands

This paragraph explores bilateral transfer, which is the concept of learning a skill with one hand and having that skill transfer positively to the other hand. It discusses the terms inter-manual transfer, cross-transfer, and cross-education, and the debate over whether bilateral transfer is symmetric or asymmetric, with a general agreement leaning towards asymmetric transfer. The paragraph presents two explanations for why bilateral transfer occurs: a cognitive explanation, where cognitive information about the skill is equally applicable to the other hand, and a motor control explanation, suggesting that a generalized motor program can be applied to both limbs. It also touches on the role of brain inter-hemispheric transfer in facilitating the coordination and execution of movements with both hands.

Keywords

💡Transfer of Learning

Transfer of learning refers to the ability to apply knowledge or skills acquired in one context to a different context. In the video, it is the central theme, explaining how motor skills learned in a practice environment can be effectively utilized in a new environment such as a competition or performance. The script discusses how this transfer can be positive, negative, or zero, depending on the similarity of the skills and the contexts involved.

💡Motor Skill

A motor skill is a type of skill that involves physical movement and coordination. The video script emphasizes the importance of motor skills in the context of learning and transferring abilities from practice to real-life situations. Examples from the script include learning sports or rehabilitation activities where precise motor skills are crucial for successful performance.

💡Positive Transfer

Positive transfer occurs when previous experiences or learned skills facilitate the learning or application of a new skill in a different environment. The script explains that this happens when there is a high degree of similarity between the component parts or characteristics of the old and new skills, such as kinematics or types of corrections required.

💡Negative Transfer

Negative transfer is a phenomenon where past skills interfere with the learning of a new skill. The video provides the example of tennis and badminton, where the habit of keeping the wrist stiff in tennis might hinder the learning of badminton, which requires a wrist snap. This concept is integral to understanding the challenges in skill transfer.

💡Zero Transfer

Zero transfer indicates a situation where previously learned skills have no effect on the learning or application of a new skill. The script mentions this as one of the possible outcomes of transfer of learning, suggesting that sometimes skills do not influence each other.

💡Identical Elements Theory

The identical elements theory posits that transfer of learning is due to the degree of similarity between the component parts or characteristics of two skills. The script uses this theory to explain positive transfer, suggesting that if the kinematics or required corrections of two skills are similar, positive transfer is more likely to occur.

💡Transfer Appropriate Processing Theory

Transfer appropriate processing theory suggests that positive transfer occurs when the cognitive processing required for two skills is similar. The video script illustrates this with examples such as fast decision-making or problem-solving skills that might transfer from one skill to another, providing an advantage in learning the new skill.

💡Cognitive Confusion

Cognitive confusion is one of the proposed reasons for negative transfer, where there is confusion about what one is supposed to be doing. The script gives the example of driving in a country with opposite driving directions, which can cause confusion and interfere with the learning of new skills.

💡Intrinsic Dynamics

Intrinsic dynamics refers to task-specific coordination tendencies that can transfer from one task to another and may either cooperate or compete with the new skill being learned. The video script explains that these dynamics can lead to either positive or negative transfer, depending on whether they support or conflict with the new skill.

💡Bilateral Transfer

Bilateral transfer, also known as inter-manual transfer or cross-education, is the concept that learning a skill with one hand or limb can positively affect the learning of the same skill with the other hand or limb. The script discusses the debate between symmetric and asymmetric transfer, suggesting that starting with the dominant hand may lead to better transfer to the non-dominant hand.

💡Generalized Motor Program (GMP)

A generalized motor program is a representation of how to coordinate movements that can be applied to different limbs. The script explains that practicing a skill with one limb establishes a GMP that can be used for the other limb, facilitating the learning process and supporting the concept of bilateral transfer.

💡Inter-hemispheric Transfer

Inter-hemispheric transfer refers to the brain's ability to develop motor plans and components on both sides, even when only one hand is being used. The video script mentions this as a reason why skills can transfer between limbs, as both sides of the brain are activated during the learning process.

Highlights

Transfer of learning is the ability to apply motor skills learned in one environment to another, such as from practice to competition.

Previous skills can either facilitate, interfere with, or have no effect on the learning of new skills.

The sequence of skills learned is crucial for effective motor skill learning, impacting how skills enhance or interfere with each other.

Transfer of learning is influenced by how past experiences affect the performance of a new skill or the learning process.

Positive transfer occurs when previous experiences aid in learning or transferring a skill to a new environment.

Negative transfer happens when past experiences hinder the learning or application of a new skill.

Zero transfer indicates that previous learning has no impact on the new skill acquisition.

Identical elements theory suggests transfer occurs due to the similarity in component parts or characteristics between skills.

Transfer appropriate processing theory posits that similar cognitive processing between skills leads to positive transfer.

Negative transfer is often temporary and can be overcome with practice, occurring when a different response is needed for a similar stimulus.

Three reasons for negative transfer include memory representation, cognitive confusion, and intrinsic dynamics.

Bilateral transfer refers to learning a skill with one hand and experiencing positive effects when learning the same skill with the other hand.

Debate exists on whether bilateral transfer is symmetric or asymmetric, with evidence supporting asymmetric transfer being more effective.

Cognitive explanations for bilateral transfer involve the transfer of cognitive information about how to perform a skill.

Motor control explanation suggests that a generalized motor program can be applied to both limbs, facilitating bilateral transfer.

Dynamical systems theory proposes an abstract representation of movement coordination applicable to any limb.

Brain inter-hemispheric transfer indicates that motor areas in both brain hemispheres activate, aiding in skill transfer between hands.

The video concludes with the assertion that with practice, skills can be effectively transferred and executed by both hands.

Transcripts

hello in this video i'm going to discuss

transfer of learning

um so transfer of learning is the idea

that we learn a motor skill in a

practice environment and we need to be

able to transfer what we've learned from

that practice environment into another

environment like a competition

environment or performance situation or

a testing environment

so that's transfer of learning the

learner needs to be able to transfer the

learned capability from one environment

to a different environment

when we are learning a skill after we've

learned other skills previously those

skills that we've learned in the past

sometimes will make the new skill easier

to learn it can interfere with learning

or it could have no effect at all so

that's what i'll talk about throughout

this lecture is those different

situations

um the sequence of skills that we learn

when we're learning a sport or we're

rehabilitating an injury

the sequence of skills that we're

learning is really important because

some skills that we learn are going to

enhance or interfere with the skills

that we learn next so getting them in

the right order is really important if

we're going to have an effective motor

skills learning environment whether that

be learning a sport or in a

rehabilitation setting

so a few terms here first transfer of

learning is the influence of previous

experiences on performing a skill in a

new context or on learning a new skill

so how does what we've learned before

transfer to what we're learning now or

how does what we've learned in practice

transfer into a new setting

so as i mentioned sometimes what we've

learned already can have a positive

effect a negative effect or no effect at

all so positive transfer is when our

previous experience

facilitates learning or transferring of

that skill to a new environment negative

transfer is when the previous experience

gets in the way of learning

or transferring to a new environment and

zero transfer means there was no effect

so here are the two main hypotheses

about why positive transfer occurs

so first is the identical elements

theory so the idea here is that on the

transfer is due to the degree of

similarity between the component parts

or the characteristics

so if the kinematics are similar between

two skills so

maybe the way that we reach you know the

specific amount of flexion extension you

know something about the kinematics of

the movement is similar enough

or it could be that the types of

corrections that are required for the

two skills are similar

so like if both skills require dynamic

balance or similar muscle control you

know same muscle groups um similar types

of coordination or aspects of

coordination so if some of the the types

of corrections that need to be made

during that on the two skills if those

are similar

then they might be similar enough that

positive transfer occurs

the other hypothesis is called transfer

appropriate processing theory

so that's the idea that if the cognitive

processing required between two skills

are similar enough then there will be

positive transfer

so like if two skills both require fast

decision making then having mastered the

first skill might lead to

faster decision making

out of the gate without any practice or

learning the new skill when you're

beginning to learn that new skill

so like fast decision making problem

solving attention control so cognitive

processes that maybe you've practiced

with the previous skill now might

transfer to the new skill and sort of

give you a head start in learning

negative transfer

again that's where your past skills

might interfere with your learning of

the new skill so an example of that

would be

like if you play tennis um you generally

will keep your wrist stiff when you hit

the ball and then maybe if you're

learning badminton in badminton you snap

your wrist

and so there might be some negative

transfer where you have the habit of

what to do with your wrist from tennis

and now you're having to relearn the

skill and what you've already that past

skill and tennis might be interfering

with learning that new skill

or if you went the opposite direction

same problem but thankfully negative

transfer is um temporary it doesn't

happen that often the skills have to be

very similar like what i just described

and even when it does happen the effects

are temporary it generally only happens

in the very beginning in the early

learning stage

and then you can overcome that with

practice

it occurs when a previously experienced

stimulus requires a different response

so like the ball coming towards you and

you're going to hit the ball but now

it's a shuttle coming towards you

and you need to hit it but with a

different racket and with different form

um so the stimulus and the environment

are similar but now you need to respond

with a different

uh motor response

so similar environmental context

characteristics but the movement

characteristics are different

um so negative transfer is most likely

to occur if there's a change in spatial

locations for the movement or a change

in the timing structure of the movement

um so spatial locations that could be

like you know maybe you're really used

to driving your car and then you get in

a friend's car to drive their car

more or less it's going to be the same

action it's going to be all the same

movements the same coordination patterns

but in the new car everything's going to

be in a slightly different place so a

little bit of a different spatial

location

you know the petals might be in a

slightly different place the

stick might be in a slightly different

place all the little levers and buttons

and everything's a little bit different

so change in spatial locations

um and then the second scenario is a

change in the timing structure so

maybe you're learning the steps in a

dance and now you're trying to relearn

it with a new rhythm

um

so in that case the old rhythm that you

danced to or maybe you're playing a new

music piece or something

but if you've learned a previous rhythm

that now you're trying to learn a new

rhythm then there will probably be some

interference

from what you've learned previously

that might get in a way a little bit of

learning that new rhythm

so why negative transfer occurs there

are three

proposed reasons

so the first is the memory

representation um so specific perception

action coupling develops in response to

performing a skill and becomes part of

the memory representation for the action

okay so when we learn and practice a

skill we couple our perception of the

environment so what are we perceiving

that's happening and what are we

perceiving that's happening within our

own body and we couple that with the

motor response so if we

practice a skill and we establish this

memory representation of the perception

action coupling and now

we need to produce a new response to

that perception now we have to sort of

uncouple and make a new coupling so that

could be part of why negative transfer

occurs the second is cognitive confusion

which is exactly what it sounds like

confusion about what you're supposed to

be doing

um so it's like if you're driving in

another country where you drive on the

opposite side of the road from where

you're used to

um

you know obviously cognitively you know

you're supposed to drive on that side of

the road but you might keep forgetting

or it might feel really uncomfortable

and weird because you're on the wrong

side of the road compared to what you're

used to or if you're using a new

keyboard and you don't know quite where

all the keys are you know maybe the

shift key or the command key or whatever

is in a different place

so cognitive confusion like there's no

issue with coordination or control of

the movement but you just simply are

confused about where things are what you

should be doing

and then lastly is intrinsic dynamics so

task specific coordination tendencies

can transfer from one task to another

and these intrinsic dynamics may

cooperate or compete with the new skill

that is being learned

so we learn all sorts of specific

coordination patterns um that we

transfer and use for many different

skills that are are widely applicable to

lots of different things that we do

and in some cases those coordination

tendencies will help with a new skill

and in that case that would be positive

transfer but sometimes it competes with

the new skill and we have to sort of

unlearn that tendency to learn the new

one in that case that would be negative

transfer

that can also occur retroactively

meaning that you need to sort of unlearn

that coordination tendency to learn the

new one and in some cases it can

actually interfere with your ability to

complete the old skill the previous

skill that required that previous

coordination tendency that now you're

you're trying to break the habit like if

we think back to the tennis and

badminton

situation

maybe you start snapping your wrist to

play badminton and now when you go back

to tennis it might be harder for you to

keep that wrist strong and stable now

that you've established that new

coordination pattern of snapping the

rest

okay bilateral transfer

is referring to how we can learn a skill

with one hand and that skill has a

positive transfer effect to the other

hand

so when transfer of learning relates to

learning the same task but with the

other limb

um it's also referred to as inter-manual

transfer cross-transfer or

cross-education

um so the idea is that once we learn a

skill with one hand it makes it faster

and easier to learn the skill with the

other hand so there is debate about

whether bilateral transfer is symmetric

or asymmetric symmetric means that it

doesn't matter which hand you learn it

with first that there will be an equal

amount of bilateral transfer so i could

learn a skill with my left hand or my

right hand and it will transfer equally

as asymmetric transfer means that

when a person is learning a skill

they're going to learn it better by

starting with a certain hand and then

it's going to transfer better to the

other hand so the idea is like maybe

it's better that i learn the skill first

with my dominant hand and then it will

transfer better to my non-dominant hand

or vice versa so asymmetric transfer

just means that there is a better

hand to start with it's not equal in

terms of which one we should start with

now there's also debate about which hand

is better

oh and i should i should say

it is commonly accepted that asymmetric

transfer is the case so there's debate

between asymmetric and symmetric

transfer and generally we agree that

asymmetric transfer is true so it there

does seem to be

um a difference depending on which hand

you start with now there's debate about

which hand you should start with um so

it is more generally accepted that

there's more transfer if you start with

your preferred limb so if you start with

your dominant hand there will be more

transfer to the non-dominant now that is

debated not everybody agrees but there

is more evidence to support starting

with the dominant and then transferring

to the non-dominant

so why does bilateral transfer occur

there are two ways to look at this both

are probably in at play both are

probably true um there's the cognitive

explanation

um that when you learn a new skill we

get a lot of cognitive information about

how to complete that skill so when you

first learn to do something you have to

learn what to do and how to do it so you

need all that information about okay

you're going to move this way then

you're going to do this here are some

cues you could look for

so if you learn all of those things to

do with something with one hand all that

information equally applies if you're

going to conduct the skill with the

other hand

so that cognitive transfer

kind of gives you a jump start on when

you're using the other hand the motor

control explanation

says that practicing the skill with one

one limb establishes a gmp a generalized

motor program and that gmp because it is

generalized we can use to apply to the

other limb equally even if we learned it

initially with the first limb

if we look at it from a dynamical

systems theory perspective

um basically we are creating an abstract

representation of how to coordinate the

movement and again just like with the

gmp we can apply that abstract

representation of the movement to either

limb regardless of which one we start

with

then finally brain inter-hemispheric

transfer occurs

so

even if i'm doing something with my

right hand and my left hemisphere is

controlling my right hand

i will also have activation in the same

motor areas on the right hemisphere as i

do on the left hemisphere so the brain

is actually developing these motor plans

and these motor components on both sides

of the brain even though i'm using the

right hand um so that kind of gives the

the other hand a jump start or a head

start on being able to

coordinate and execute that motion

um and so it just takes a little bit of

practice and pretty soon you'll be able

to do it equally on both sides

all right thank you so much for watching

i'll see you in the next video