NCT04270448

Effects of Feedback on Learning of a Motor Sequence Task

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 54 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of South Carolina · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 40 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Feedback delivered during motor practice can help promote motor skill learning and promote confidence. However, the optimal way to provide feedback to promote learning and confidence is unknown. This project will study how the feedback that is provided during practice of a movement skill can help people learn and build confidence. The investigators will measure motor skill performance and confidence before and after a session of motor practice.

Detailed description

Feedback may be a useful tool to optimize motor learning during practice. For example, feedback during practice that indicates the learner is performing above average (i.e. positive social comparative feedback) enhances motor skill learning and self-efficacy in healthy adults. While this type of feedback is hypothesized to promote learning in some tasks, no studies have examined whether positive social comparative feedback during practice promotes motor learning in a traditional motor sequence task. Therefore, the aim of the proposed project is to investigate the effect of positive social comparative feedback on the learning of a joystick-based motor sequence task in healthy adults. The study aims to recruit 60 participants who will be randomized into 1 of 3 feedback groups (control group, performance feedback, and performance plus positive feedback). Participants will practice a motor sequence task on a single day and then return for retention performance testing about 24 hours later. Changes in performance (response time to complete a sequence) and self-efficacy will be measured from baseline to 24 hours later at retention.

Conditions

• Adult

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Motor Sequence Task	Participants will be seated at a laptop with the right hand on a standard joystick. The movement of the joystick will move a cursor on the computer screen. Targets will appear on the laptop screen as a circle in one of twelve spatially distinct locations. The learner must move the joystick "cursor" to inside the target before the next target will appear.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-02-05
• Primary completion: 2021-04-30
• Completion: 2021-04-30
• First posted: 2020-02-17
• Last updated: 2021-07-20

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States