Neuroscience 2001 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 939.12 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | DUAL-TASK INTERFERENCE DURING SKILL ACQUISITION: STRUCTURAL INTERFERENCE VERSUS RESOURCE COMPETITION. |
| Authors: |
Eversheim, U.*1
; Bock, O.1
1Dept Physiol, German Sport Univ, Cologne, Germany |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
Motor Systems - Control of Posture and Movement -- Kinematics |
| Session: |
939. Control of posture and movement: kinematics--adaptation and learning Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Thursday, November 15, 2001 11:00 AM-12:00 PM |
| Location: | Exhibit Hall EE-6 |
| Keywords: | motor learning, manual tracking, reaction time , workload |
The acquisition of a new motor skill is computationally demanding for our sensorimotor system. In a previous dual-task study, we found that the interference peaked early during acquisition - at different times for different secondary tasks (ST), which we interpreted as competition for different resources - and then converged towards a non-zero plateau (Eversheim and Bock 2000; SFN, Abst. 1990). The terminal plateau could reflect either a resource demand common to all ST, or structural interference between tasks. The present study was initiated to resolve this issue by manipulating structural interference in various ways.
As in the previous study, subjects tracked with their index finger a visual target moving in a horizontal plane. To induce skill acquisition, visual feedback about finger position was up-down reversed. During 50% of tracking time, subjects performed with their other hand one of four different choice reaction time tasks (RTT): a) a manual four choice RTT; b) a manual two choice RTT; c) a manual four choice RTT with an embedded display; d) a verbal four choice RTT. We found that interference was generally smaller than in our previous study, which probably reflects the easier RTTs selected. There was no consistent difference in the time-course of interference between RTT's, except for the consistently lower interference in the Verbal-RTT. Taken together, these findings suggest that during skill acquisition, not only the resource demand but also structural interference is elevated.
As in the previous study, subjects tracked with their index finger a visual target moving in a horizontal plane. To induce skill acquisition, visual feedback about finger position was up-down reversed. During 50% of tracking time, subjects performed with their other hand one of four different choice reaction time tasks (RTT): a) a manual four choice RTT; b) a manual two choice RTT; c) a manual four choice RTT with an embedded display; d) a verbal four choice RTT. We found that interference was generally smaller than in our previous study, which probably reflects the easier RTTs selected. There was no consistent difference in the time-course of interference between RTT's, except for the consistently lower interference in the Verbal-RTT. Taken together, these findings suggest that during skill acquisition, not only the resource demand but also structural interference is elevated.
Supported by Supported by German Fed. Ministry of Education and Research, grant 50WB9942.
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2001 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. San Diego, CA: Society for Neuroscience, 2001. Online.
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