Adult
Conditions
Keywords
Motor learning, Feedback
Brief summary
Feedback delivered during motor practice can help promote motor skill learning and promote confidence. However, the optimal way to provide feedback to promote learning and confidence is unknown. This project will study how the feedback that is provided during practice of a movement skill can help people learn and build confidence. The investigators will measure motor skill performance and confidence before and after a session of motor practice.
Detailed description
Feedback may be a useful tool to optimize motor learning during practice. For example, feedback during practice that indicates the learner is performing above average (i.e. positive social comparative feedback) enhances motor skill learning and self-efficacy in healthy adults. While this type of feedback is hypothesized to promote learning in some tasks, no studies have examined whether positive social comparative feedback during practice promotes motor learning in a traditional motor sequence task. Therefore, the aim of the proposed project is to investigate the effect of positive social comparative feedback on the learning of a joystick-based motor sequence task in healthy adults. The study aims to recruit 60 participants who will be randomized into 1 of 3 feedback groups (control group, performance feedback, and performance plus positive feedback). Participants will practice a motor sequence task on a single day and then return for retention performance testing about 24 hours later. Changes in performance (response time to complete a sequence) and self-efficacy will be measured from baseline to 24 hours later at retention.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALMotor Sequence Task
Participants will be seated at a laptop with the right hand on a standard joystick. The movement of the joystick will move a cursor on the computer screen. Targets will appear on the laptop screen as a circle in one of twelve spatially distinct locations. The learner must move the joystick cursor to inside the target before the next target will appear.
Sponsors
University of South Carolina
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 40 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Age 18 to 40 years * Right-hand dominant
Exclusion criteria
* Medical diagnosis or medication that affects dopamine (e.g. dopamine reuptake inhibitors) * musculoskeletal issues that limit upper extremity movement
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Response Time | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Time to complete one sequence |
| Task Confidence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Time to Peak Velocity | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence |
| Perceived Competence | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Mean score on the Perceived Competence subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher competence |
| Perceived Interest/Enjoyment | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Mean score on the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher enjoyment |
| Peak Velocity | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Average speed to capture a target within a sequence |
| Response Time | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | Time to complete one sequence |
| Task Confidence | Change from baseline to immediately after practice | Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence |
| Positive Affect | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Total score for general positive affect on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale with a range from 10 to 50 with higher scores equating to higher positive affect |
| Total Path Distance | Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours | Total distance traveled to complete one sequence |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed