Motor imagery during action observation in virtual reality: the impact of watching myself performing at a level I have not yet achieved

Abstract

Feedforward modeling, the creation of one's own behaviour that is potentially achievable in the future, can support motor performance and learning. While this has been shown for sequences of motor actions, it remains to be tested whether feedforward modelling is beneficial for single complex motor actions. Using an immersive, state-of-the-art, low-latency Cave Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE), we compared motor imagery during action observation (AOMI) of oneself performing at one's current skill level against AOMI of oneself performing at an achievable future skill level. We performed 3D scans and created a ready-to-animate virtual human of each participant. During acquisition, participants observed an avatar of themselves performing either one of their own previously executed squats (Me-Novice) or observed an avatar of themselves performing a skilled squat (Me-Skilled), whilst simultaneously imagining the feelings and sensations associated with movement execution. Findings revealed an advantage for the Me-Skilled group as compared to the Me-Novice group in motor performance and cognitive representation structure, while self-efficacy improved in both groups. In comparison to watching and imagining oneself performing at the current novice skill level, watching and imagining oneself performing at a more advanced skill level prevented from making errors in motor performance and led to perceptual-cognitive scaffolding as shown by functional changes in underlying representations. Simultaneous imagery whilst observing future states of action may therefore help to establish cognitive prerequisites that enable better motor performance. To this end, virtual reality is a promising tool to create learning environments that exceed an individual's current performance level.

Enhancing motor imagery practice using synchronous action observation

“…For example, Aoyama et al (2020) demonstrated that, after reaching a plateau in their learning of a ball rotation task, participants made significant improvements using AO + MI of a moderately better performance compared to a control and two other AO + MI conditions, which displayed either the learners' current or a significantly better than current performance. Frank et al (2022) found a similar result with novice participants practising squats. In their AO + MI protocols, participants observed an avatar depicting themselves performing either one of their own previously executed squats (Me-Novice), or an avatar of themselves that had been edited in virtual reality to perform a skilled squat (Me-Skilled).…”

Motor learning without physical practice: The effects of combined action observation and motor imagery practice on cup-stacking speed

“…Pilot testing confirmed that an 8 s execution period provided a target speed that was not achievable by novices prior to physical practice. Two AO+MI studies have recently shown the advantage of using a model that displays a future as yet unattained performance level (Frank et al, 2022;Aoyama et al, 2020). This pace could be achieved, however, after a sustained period of physical training.…”

Observing an expert's action swapped with an observer's face increases corticospinal excitability during combined action observation and motor imagery

“…In addition, the feedforward self-modelling has been used to promote the acquisition of new motor skills in the observer by observing the edited video that includes the movies of the observer performing a motor task at a higher skill level (Ste-Marie et al, 2011). Moreover, the advanced feedforward self-modelling has been used to generate an avatar similar to an observer in virtual reality (VR), and their self-efficacy and performance are increased by observing the action of the avatar that the observer wishes to achieve in the future (Frank et al, 2023). Therefore, combining AI and VR feedforward modelling technologies may create avatars whose entire body, including the face and body, closely resembles the observer, which could further promote motor learning.…”