Estrutura de prática e idade no processo adaptativo da aprendizagem de uma tarefa de "timing" coincidente / Practice schedule and age on the adaptive process of the coincident timing task learning

O objetivo desse estudo foi investigar os efeitos de diferentes estruturas de prática no processo adaptativo da aprendizagem de uma tarefa de "timing" coincidente em função da idade. Crianças (n = 40), adultos (n = 47) e idosos (n = 57) foram distribuídos em grupos de prática constante, aleatória, constante-aleatória e aleatória-constante. A tarefa consistiu consistia em tocar certos alvos de forma sequencial em integração a um estímulo visual. O delineamento envolveu duas fases de aprendizagem: estabilização e adaptação. Os dados foram analisados em relação aos erros absoluto, variável, constante e de execução. Os resultados mostraram que o processo adaptativo na aprendizagem de crianças, adultos e idosos de uma tarefa de "timing" coincidente foi mais beneficiado pela prática constante-aleatória.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different practice schedules on the adaptive process of a coincident timing task learning in function of age. Children (n = 40), adults (n = 47) and elderly (n = 57) were distributed into constant, random, constant-random and random-constant practice groups. The task consisted of touching response keys sequentially in conjunction with a visual stimulus. The experimental design was consisted of two learning phases: stabilization and adaptation. The data were analyzed in terms of absolute, variable, constant and execution errors. The results showed that the constant-random practice was the most efficient for the adaptive process in learning a coincident timing task regardless of the age group.

Constant-random practice and the adaptive process in motor learning with varying amounts of constant practice.

The adaptive process in motor learning was examined in terms of effects of varying amounts of constant practice performed before random practice. Participants pressed five response keys sequentially, the last one coincident with the lighting of a final visual stimulus provided by a complex coincident timing apparatus. Different visual stimulus speeds were used during the random practice. 33 children (M age=11.6 yr.) were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: constant-random, constant-random 33%, and constant-random 66%. The constant-random group practiced constantly until they reached a criterion of performance stabilization--three consecutive trials within 50 msec. of error. The other two groups had additional constant practice of 33 and 66%, respectively, of the number of trials needed to achieve the stabilization criterion. All three groups performed 36 trials under random practice; in the adaptation phase, they practiced at a different visual stimulus speed adopted in the stabilization phase. Global performance measures were absolute, constant, and variable errors, and movement pattern was analyzed by relative timing and overall movement time. There was no group difference in relation to global performance measures and overall movement time. However, differences between the groups were observed on movement pattern, since constant-random 66% group changed its relative timing performance in the adaptation phase.

A prática constante-aleatória e o processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora: efeitos da quantidade de prática constante / The constant-random practice and the adaptive process of motor learning: effects of constant practice amount

O objetivo desse trabalho foi investigar os efeitos de diferentes quantidades de prática constante anteriormenteà prática aleatória no processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora, manipulando-se conjuntamente aspectosperceptivos e motores da tarefa. Os participantes foram 33 crianças de ambos os sexos com idades entre 10e 12 anos. A tarefa consistiu em tocar cinco alvos em uma seqüência fazendo com que o último toquecoincidisse com a chegada de um estímulo visual. O delineamento constou de três grupos de diferentesquantidades de prática constante e de duas fases (estabilização e adaptação). A prática aleatória e a perturbaçãoenvolveram a manipulação da velocidade do estímulo luminoso e do padrão de movimento. As variáveisdependentes foram os erros absoluto, variável e constante e as medidas relativas ao padrão de movimento(tempo de reação, tempo de movimento, timing relativo, pico de força, pico relativo de força, tempo decontato e tempo relativo de contato). Os resultados permitiram concluir que a prática constante, anteriormenteà prática variada aleatória, é mais benéfica para o processo adaptativo de aprendizagem motora quandorealizada até o alcance do desempenho-critério. E, que esse benefício é diminuído progressivamente deacordo com o aumento na quantidade de prática

The objective of this work was to investigate the effects of different amount of constant practice, prior torandom practice, on the adaptive process of motor learning with manipulation of motor and perceptiverequirements of task. Thirty-three children aged between 10 and 12 of both sex. The task consisted of pressingfive buttons sequentially in coincidence with visual stimulation. The design evolved three groups of differentamounts of constant practice, and two phases (stabilization and adaptation). Different movement patternsand speeds of visual stimulation were performed during the random practice and on perturbation. The dependentvariables were the absolute, variable and constant errors, and measures of movement pattern (reaction time,movement time, relative time, peak of force, relative peak of force, touch time, and relative time of touch).The results permitted to conclude that the constant practice prior random practice is more beneficial toadaptive process of motor learning when it is realized until to criterion of performance. And, that this beneficialis progressively reduced with the increase of amount of practice