Exploring structural learning in handwriting

Johnson, Robyn; Culmer, Peter; Burke, Melanie Rose; Mon-Williams, Mark; Wilkie, Richard M.

doi:10.1007/s00221-010-2438-5

Cited by 15 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…This technology has been used to present two-dimensional line-drawing stimuli on the screen, which participants either need to trace over or simultaneously copy on another area of the screen. Robust point-set registration methods can then be used to post-process the participants' drawings to generate error scores that provide objective measurements of the participants' ability to accurately trace/ copy the stimuli presented [25,26]. This is exactly the type of technique required to capture meaningful measures of VMM ability.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ontogeny of visual–motor memory and its importance in handwriting and reading: a developing construct

et al. 2015

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Humans have evolved a remarkable ability to remember visual shapes and use these representations to generate motor activity (from Palaeolithic cave drawings through Jiahu symbols to cursive handwriting). The term visualmotor memory (VMM) describes this psychological ability, which must have conveyed an evolutionary advantage and remains critically important to humans (e.g. when learning to write). Surprisingly, little empirical investigation of this unique human ability exists-almost certainly because of the technological difficulties involved in measuring VMM. We deployed a novel technique for measuring this construct in 87 children (6-11 years old, 44 females). Children drew novel shapes presented briefly on a tablet laptop screen, drawing their responses from memory on the screen using a digitizer stylus. Sophisticated algorithms (using point-registration techniques) objectively quantified the accuracy of the children's reproductions. VMM improved with age and performance decreased with shape complexity, indicating that the measure captured meaningful developmental changes. The relationship between VMM and scores on nationally standardized writing assessments were explored with the results showing a clear relationship between these measures, even after controlling for age. Moreover, a relationship between VMM and the nationally standardized reading test was mediated via writing ability, suggesting VMM's wider importance within language development.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The ontogeny of visual–motor memory and its importance in handwriting and reading: a developing construct

et al. 2015

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“…In conjunction with this set-up, we also used a computerised battery of manual fine motor control tests: the Clinical Kinematic Assessment Tool (C-KAT) to provide detailed kinematic investigations of end point control across a range of subtests including tracking, sequential aiming and tracing tasks (Culmer et al 2009). This software platform has been used experimentally as a tool for investigating motor learning and manual control in a number of previous studies (Johnson et al 2010; Gonzalez et al 2011; Raw et al 2012a, b). We have shown previously that these tools capture large changes in postural control (Flatters et al 2014a; Flatters et al in press) and manual control (Flatters et al 2014b) as a function of age.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The relationship between a child’s postural stability and manual dexterity

et al. 2014

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The neural systems responsible for postural control are separate from the neural substrates that underpin control of the hand. Nonetheless, postural control and eye-hand coordination are linked functionally. For example, a stable platform is required for precise manual control tasks (e.g. handwriting) and thus such skills often cannot develop until the child is able to sit or stand upright. This raises the question of the strength of the empirical relationship between measures of postural stability and manual motor control. We recorded objective computerised measures of postural stability in stance and manual control in sitting in a sample of school children (n = 278) aged 3–11 years in order to explore the extent to which measures of manual skill could be predicted by measures of postural stability. A strong correlation was found across the whole sample between separate measures of postural stability and manual control taken on different days. Following correction for age, a significant but modest correlation was found. Regression analysis with age correction revealed that postural stability accounted for between 1 and 10 % of the variance in manual performance, dependent on the specific manual task. These data reflect an interdependent functional relationship between manual control and postural stability development. Nevertheless, the relatively small proportion of the explained variance is consistent with the anatomically distinct neural architecture that exists for ‘gross’ and ‘fine’ motor control. These data justify the approach of motor batteries that provide separate assessments of postural stability and manual dexterity and have implications for therapeutic intervention in developmental disorders.

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“…This task, however, required participants to complete the boxes from right to left with the left hand, and vice-versa with the right hand. The asymmetries in drawing time for each hand may, therefore, have been purely due to task differences as it has been shown that there are costs involved with moving both the preferred and non-preferred hand in the opposite direction to that used when writing (Johnson, Culmer, Burke, Mon-Williams and Wilkie 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Reduced motor asymmetry in older adults when manually tracing paths

et al. 2011

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Handedness, a preference towards using the right or left hand, is established in early childhood. Such specialisation allows a higher level of skill to be maintained in the preferred hand on specific tasks through continuous practice and performance. Hand asymmetries might be expected to increase with age because of the time spent practising with the preferred hand. However, neurophysiological work has suggested reduced hemispheric function lateralisation in the aging brain, and behavioural studies have found reduced motor asymmetries in older adults (Przybla, Haaland, Bagesterio and Sainburg 2011). We therefore tested the predictions of behavioural change from reduced hemispheric function by measuring tracing performance (arguably one of the most lateralised of human behaviours) along paths of different thickness in a group of healthy young and older adults. Participants completed the task once with their preferred (right) hand and once with their non-preferred (left) hand. Movement Time (MT) and Shape Accuracy (SA) were dependant variables. A composite measure of MT and SA, the Speed Accuracy Cost Function (SACF) provided an overall measure of motor performance. Older participants were slower and less accurate when task demands were high. Combined analyses of both hands revealed reduced asymmetries in MT and SACF in the older group. The young were significantly faster when tracing with their preferred hand but older participants were equally slow with either hand. Our results are consistent with the growing literature reporting decreased hemispheric function lateralisation in the aging brain.

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Exploring structural learning in handwriting

Cited by 15 publications

References 15 publications

The ontogeny of visual–motor memory and its importance in handwriting and reading: a developing construct

The ontogeny of visual–motor memory and its importance in handwriting and reading: a developing construct

The relationship between a child’s postural stability and manual dexterity

Reduced motor asymmetry in older adults when manually tracing paths

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