Effects of Physical Guidance and Knowledge of Results on Motor Learning: Support for the Guidance Hypothesis

Abstract

The guidance hypothesis (Schmidt, 1991) predicts that the guiding properties of augmented feedback are beneficial for motor learning when used to reduce error, but detrimental when relied upon. Therefore, a heavily guiding form of feedback might be detrimental for learning. In addition, the guidance hypothesis predicts that practice with a high relative frequency of augmented feedback would be detrimental for learning. An experiment is described that crossed two forms of feedback with two levels of relative frequency. Subjects practiced movements to a target with either physical guidance or knowledge of results, and with either a high or faded relative frequency. The high frequency physical guidance condition resulted in the poorest retention, and both high frequency feedback conditions resulted in the least accuracy in transfer. These results provide support for the guidance hypothesis and suggest consideration of the combined effects on learning of the type and relative frequency of augmented feedback and acquisition-test conditions.

Learning Lumbar Spine Mobilization: The Effects of Frequency and Self-Control of Feedback

“…Frequency of Feedback The guidance hypothesis is supported by a number of studies of motor skills different from manual therapy 23,31,34,56,60,64 but does not appear to be applicable to manual therapy tasks. The guidance hypothesis proposes that highly frequent feedback results in enhanced skill acquisition immediately following feedback but reduced performance on retention tests after feedback is withdrawn, as the learner may become dependent on the feedback.…”

“…Generally, the motor-learning literature supports the notion that intermittent feedback enhances retention of learning more than constant feedback. 23,31,34,56,60,64 However, the results of studies have been inconsistent for various motor tasks, 53,61,66,69 indicating that feedback frequencies may not be generalizable to different tasks and that other factors, such as task complexity and the ability of individual learners, need to be considered.…”

Preparing drivers for dangerous situations: A critical reflection on continuous shared control

“…Strikingly, after guidance was removed (i.e., during retention), accuracy of performance deteriorated, particularly in the high-guidance group. The relative differences were particularly large after one night of sleep (delayed retention) and when transferring to a new target position, indicating that these effects were persistent [51]. Figure 2.…”

“…The guidance hypothesis, formalized by Salmoni et al [49], states that augmented feedback (the definition of which includes not only haptic guidance, but also other types of supplementary information, such as knowledge-of-results feedback and concurrent visual feedback) facilitates performance when provided, but leads to deteriorated performance after feedback is withdrawn [50]. In fact, the guidance hypothesis predicts that "feedback that is relatively more guiding would be expected to have greater detrimental effects on motor learning" [51].…”

Some Key Problems for Robot-Assisted Movement Therapy Research: A Perspective from the University of California at Irvine

“…These studies have generally not found significant benefits of guidance for motor learning (e.g. [18][19][20].…”