Learning the Direction and Extent of a Movement

Abstract

The hypotheses (a) that the memory trace and perceptual trace are independent memory states and (b) that they develop as a positive function of the amount of practice on the criterion movement were tested. The criterion movement studied was a linear displacement of a stylus in two dimensions (direction and extent) in the horizontal plane. The experiment had two phases: 92 acquisition trials with knowledge of results (KR) and 20 transfer trials without KR. Four groups of 10 male and female college students performed the acquisition trials under one of four movement conditions: (a) criterion extent and criterion direction, (b) criterion extent and varied direction, (c) varied extent and criterion direction, and (d) varied extent and varied direction. The data, showing support for the assumption and the hypothesis under test, were interpreted as evidence in favor of Adams’ (1971) closed-loop theory of motor learning.