Terminal Feedback Outperforms Concurrent Visual, Auditory, and Haptic Feedback in Learning a Complex Rowing-Type Task

ABSTRACT

Augmented feedback, provided by coaches or displays, is a well-established strategy to accelerate motor learning. Frequent terminal feedback and concurrent feedback have been shown to be detrimental for simple motor task learning but supportive for complex motor task learning. However, conclusions on optimal feedback strategies have been mainly drawn from studies on artificial laboratory tasks with visual feedback only. Therefore, the authors compared the effectiveness of learning a complex, 3-dimensional rowing-type task with either concurrent visual, auditory, or haptic feedback to self-controlled terminal visual feedback. Results revealed that terminal visual feedback was most effective because it emphasized the internalization of task-relevant aspects. In contrast, concurrent feedback fostered the correction of task-irrelevant errors, which hindered learning. The concurrent visual and haptic feedback group performed much better during training with the feedback than in nonfeedback trials. Auditory feedback based on sonification of the movement error was not practical for training the 3-dimensional movement for most participants. Concurrent multimodal feedback in combination with terminal feedback may be most effective, especially if the feedback strategy is adapted to individual preferences and skill level.

Keywords:

• augmented feedback
• haptic guidance
• movement sonification
• self-controlled feedback
• skill learning

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks go to Daniela Häuptli, who helped in conducting and organizing the experiment, and to Yeongmi Kim, who set up the vibrotactile feedback. Moreover, the authors thank Laura Marchal-Crespo for her helpful advice in defining the study protocol. Many thanks go also to Alessandro Rotta and Pascal Wespe for their indispensable technical contributions to the design and setup of the simulator and to Michael Herold-Nadig for his support on technical and safety issues. The authors want to thank Jürg Klein and Simon Broggi for programming the auditory and visual feedback, respectively, and Andrew Pennycott for proofreading the manuscript.