Triple play: Additive contributions of enhanced expectancies, autonomy support, and external attentional focus to motor learning

Abstract

In the OPTIMAL theory of motor learning [Wulf, G., & Lewthwaite, R. (2016). Optimizing performance through intrinsic motivation and attention for learning: The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 23, 1382-1414], 3 factors are postulated to facilitate learning: enhanced expectancies (EE) for performance, autonomy support (AS), and an external focus (EF) of attention. In 3 recent studies, combinations of 2 of these variables resulted in superior learning relative to the presence of only 1 variable, or none. We examined whether the combination of all 3 factors would enhance learning relative to combinations of 2 factors. Our design included EE-AS, EE-EF, AS-EF, and AS-EE-EF groups. Participants threw balls at a target with their non-dominant arm. In the EE conditions, they received positive social-comparative feedback. In the AS conditions, they were allowed to throw with their dominant arm on trial blocks chosen by them. In the EF conditions, participants were asked to focus on the target. On a delayed retention test, the AS-EE-EF group outperformed all other groups. The findings provide evidence that enhanced expectancies, autonomy support, and an external focus can contribute in an additive fashion to optimize motor learning.

Real-time feedback by wearables in running: Current approaches, challenges and suggestions for improvements

“…Promoting perceived competence is important for motivation, learning and performance (Wulf & Lewthwaite, 2016). Providing positive feedback during/after successful performance, while ignoring less successful performances generally increases perceived competence and benefits learning and motivation (Chua, Wulf, & Lewthwaite, 2018;Wulf & Lewthwaite, 2016;Wulf, Lewthwaite, Cardozo, & Chiviacowsky, 2018). Continuously informing a runner of errors is therefore not optimal to increase perceived competence and hence motivation (Colley et al, 2018) and also not for learning because the runner is only informed about what is wrong and not how to correct it (Jensen & Mueller, 2014).…”

Verbesserung motorischen Lernens in der Neurorehabilitation

“…Während jeder dieser einzelnen Faktoren an sich wichtig ist, zeigen die jüngsten Ergebnisse, dass sich deren Effekte aufaddieren [5]. Wenn alle drei Faktoren vorhanden sind, führt das zu den effektivsten Lernergebnissen [28]. Therapeuten in der neurologischen Rehabilitation können diese Effekte leicht nutzen.…”

The Effect of Focus Instructions on Dart Throwing Performance in Children With and Without Developmental Coordination Disorder

“…Occupational therapists usually want to direct the learners' attention to different environmental cues or body movements to improve their motor learning. Studies on adults have shown that, directing the learners' attention to an external cue (impact of the movement on the environment) is more effectual than an internal cue (body movement) (1)(2)(3) and causes more effective arousal (4). These results have been shown in tasks and sports skills such as balance in healthy people (5), balance in individuals with Parkinson disease (6), long jump (7), endurance activity (8), golf (9), volleyball (10), and Football (11).…”