Effects of Traditional and Reversed Bandwidth Knowledge of Results on Motor Learning

Abstract

The effects of two types of bandwidth (BW) knowledge of results (KR) were investigated on the acquisition and immediate retention of a timing task. Traditional and reversed BW KR groups were compared with two yoked control groups. Forty-eight randomly assigned subjects completed 60 acquisition trials and 20 no-KR retention trials. Acquisition analysis indicated a greater timing accuracy for the traditional BW group in comparison to the reversed BW group. During retention, less absolute constant error was found for both BW groups than for their yoked controls. Absolute performance changes were analyzed to further differentiate the contributions of quantitative and qualitative KR available in both types of BW conditions. This analysis revealed a significant KR x Trial Type interaction. Reliable changes in performance were observed after quantitative trials for the traditional BW group, whereas for the reversed BW group, reliable changes were observed after qualitative trials. This reversed BW group finding, along with the retention accuracy findings, indicated that the qualitative information was used to learn the timing task.

Effects of the Instructional Set in the Bandwidth Feedback Paradigm on Motor Skill Acquisition

“…The modified-bandwidth condition had significantly more error on retention than did the bandwidth condition, with the performances of the yoked and lOO%-KR conditions being between the other two conditions. These results are consistent with those of other studies that have shown some form of a learning benefit for the bandwidth-KR method (Cauraugh et al, 1993;Lee & Carnahan, 1990;Lee & Maraj, 1994;Sherwood, 1988). Lee and Carnahan considered whether the benefit of bandwidth KR was caused by the reduced relative frequency of KR, which occurs with the bandwidth method.…”

“…The use of a bandwidth, or area of tolerance, to determine when KR is to be presented is an effective method to enhance motor skill acquisition (Cauraugh et al, 1993;Lee & Carnahan, 1990;Lee & Maraj, 1994). The benefit of the bandwidth method may be attributable to the fact that KR presentation is based on the performance of the learner.…”

The Effect of Concurrent Bandwidth Feedback on Learning the Lane-Keeping Task in a Driving Simulator

“…Together with the earlier work on the same topic (Cauraugh et al, 1993;Gordon & Gottlieb, 1967;Williams & Briggs, 1962), it is now established that for effective learning of tracking skills, the onset of a stimulus should be associated with erroneous performance, not with correct performance. Our results also suggest that lane departure warning systems that become increasingly available in real vehicles may have a benefit for learning.…”

Effects of Bandwidth Goals and Bandwidth Knowledge of Results on Motor Learning

“…Experimental studies of the bandwidth KR effect reveal that learning is enhanced when a relatively wide range of error tolerance is used, compared to a relatively narrow range of tolerance! (Annett, 1959;Cauraugh, Chen, & RadIo, 1993;Lee, White, & Carnahan, 1990;Reeve, Dornier, & Weeks, 1990;Sherwood, 1988).…”