Effects of model's skill level and model's knowledge of results on the performance of a dart throwing task

Weir, Patricia L.; Leavitt, Jack

doi:10.1016/0167-9457(90)90009-3

Cited by 43 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…Once the knowledge of "what to do" was understood, observation was of less benefit than simply practicing the task. Weir and Leavitt (1990) directly compared subjects who watched a film of an unskilled model versus that of a skilled model. In this experiment, subjects watched filmed demonstrations of either a skilled or novice dart player and then practiced the dart throwing task.…”

Section: Roes: March 1992mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Model's Skill Level on Observational Motor Learning

Pollock

Lee

1992

Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

126

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Observation of a model prior to physical practice often facilitates the acquisition of motor skills. The majority of research studies on observational motor learning has used a skilled model for the demonstration. Recent research, however, suggests that observing an unskilled (learning) model may also be effective. The experiment reported here compared motor skill acquisition following observation of a learning model or a skilled model to the performance of subjects who lacked the benefit of observation. The task was to play a computer tracking game. Subjects were tested in pairs. Observers watched either a skilled or a learning model perform 3 trials. The observers then practiced the game for 3 trials. Observation of another 12 trials was followed by 12 more practice trials. Substantial observational learning was found, as both groups of observers performed better than the learning models after both the 3 initial trials of observation and after 12 more observation trials. However, there were no differences due to observing the skilled or the learning model. These findings are discussed in relation to theoretical issues of observational learning.

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Section: Roes: March 1992mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of the Model's Skill Level on Observational Motor Learning

Pollock

Lee

1992

Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport

126

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“…Demonstrations as constraints on an observer's strategy selection choice Within the observational motor learning literature, expert models are often employed as a means to facilitate the identification of correct strategies for the modeled skill (Hodges, Chua, & Franks, 2003;Martens, Burwitz, & Zuckerman, 1976;McCullagh, Weiss, & Ross, 1989;Pollock & Lee, 1992;Weir & Leavitt, 1990). A study by Martens et al (1976) exposed observers to models demonstrating either a ''shoot-the-moon'' strategy or a ''creep'' strategy in a ball and lever task.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specificity in practice benefits learning in novice models and variability in demonstration benefits observational practice

Buchanan

Dean

2009

Psychological Research

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Considerable research has shown that both demonstration and verbal instruction can facilitate learning of a motor task in inexperienced individuals. In the current study, verbal instructions were used as a means to reduce the discovery learning process and control the amount of trial-to-trial variability in demonstrations. The task required models to learn to trace a pair of circles with a 90 degrees -relative phase pattern between the arms. Verbal instructions directed one group of models toward a single strategy, and this group improved at a faster rate and performed better in a 24-h retention test compared to a group of models in a discovery learning context. The discovery models utilized multiple strategies throughout the practice. Each model was watched for 2 days by an observer, who was instructed that they would have to produce the 90 degrees -relative phase pattern on day 3. Observers, who watched the discovery models, performed better than those who watched the single strategy models. The results support two primary conclusions. First, trial-to-trial variability associated with strategy selection processes in a model benefits an observer by facilitating perceptual discrimination processes that may play a key role in action generation. Second, verbal instructions that reduce discovery learning during physical practice benefit acquisition and retention performance when the task has multiple strategies wherein no one strategy guarantees the best performance outcome.

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“…It is also claimed that the senses do not play equally decisive roles in skill learning. More precisely, about 75% of learning is attained through the visual sense (Ross et al, 1985;Scully and Newell, 1985;Weir and Leavitt, 1990). It was reported that observational learning provides information resources for skill acquisition (Laguna, 2008;Shea et al, 2000;Sooho et al, 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%