Augmented Feedback in Adaptive Motor Skill Training

Abstract

Two training models in motor learning and the effects of visually presented augmented feedback on training and transfer were examined in two studies using a two-dimensional pursuit tracking task. Training in both studies consisted of 3-min trials and continued until criterion performance was attained. The transfer task used in both studies consisted of one 7-min session in which tracking difficulty shifted each minute. In Study I, the combined effects of training type and augmented feedback on training time and transfer performance were examined. Twenty-four male college students were randomly assigned to one of four training conditions. These were: (1) fixed-difficulty with no augmented feedback, (2) fixed-difficulty with augmented feedback, (3) automatic adaptive with no augmented feedback, and (4) automatic adaptive with augmented feedback. In transfer, no feedback was given in all groups. No differences in training time were observed. However, subjects trained using the automatic adaptive model exhibited significantly less tracking error in transfer. In Study II, four automatic adaptive training conditions were used to examine possible interactions between the automatic adaptive training model and feedback cues in training and transfer. Six male college students were randomly assigned to each condition. Feedback in the four conditions was: (1) training-no feedback, transfer-no feedback, (2) training-feedback, transfer-no feedback, (3) training-no feedback, transfer-feedback, and (4) training-feedback, transfer-feedback. No reliable differences due to feedback occurred in training or transfer. The lack of reliable differences due to feedback in both studies is believed to be a result of an overload of the visual channel.