Effects of Feedback on Learning of a Motor Sequence Task

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.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Adult
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Motor Sequence Task

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.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 54
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • South Carolina
    • Columbia, South Carolina, United States, 29208
      • University of South Carolina

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 40 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 to 40 years
• Right-hand dominant

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medical diagnosis or medication that affects dopamine (e.g. dopamine reuptake inhibitors)
• musculoskeletal issues that limit upper extremity movement

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Performance Feedback; Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback on their response time to complete the trials in the practice block.	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.
Experimental: Performance plus Positive Feedback; Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback on their response time to complete the trials in the practice block plus positive social comparative feedback.	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.
Active Comparator: Control; Practice of a joystick based motor sequence task. Participants receive feedback that they have completed the practice trials in that block of practice.	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.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Response Time	Time to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Task Confidence	Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Peak Velocity	Average speed to capture a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Total Path Distance	Total distance traveled to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Time to Peak Velocity	Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Perceived Competence	Mean score on the Perceived Competence subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher competence	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Perceived Interest/Enjoyment	Mean score on the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher enjoyment	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Positive Affect	Total score for general positive affect on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale with a range from 10 to 50 with higher scores equating to higher positive affect	Change from baseline to retention at 24 hours
Peak Velocity	Average speed to capture a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Total Path Distance	Total distance traveled to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Time to Peak Velocity	Mean time to peak velocity for movement to a target within a sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Perceived Competence	Mean score on the Perceived Competence subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher competence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Perceived Interest/Enjoyment	Mean score on the Interest/Enjoyment subscale of the Intrinsic Motivation Inventory where each item ranges from 0 to 7 with a higher value equating to higher enjoyment	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Positive Affect	Total score for general positive affect on the Positive and Negative Affect Scale with a range from 10 to 50 with higher scores equating to higher positive affect	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Response Time	Time to complete one sequence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice
Task Confidence	Self-reported confidence in ability to complete a sequence in a given time on a scale of 0 to 10 with a 10 equating to higher confidence	Change from baseline to immediately after practice

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of South Carolina

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 5, 2020
• Primary Completion (Actual): April 30, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): April 30, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 4, 2020
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2020
• First Posted (Actual): February 17, 2020

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): July 20, 2021
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 18, 2021
• Last Verified: July 1, 2021

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Motor learning; Feedback
• Other Study ID Numbers: Pro00095119

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: De-identified data will be made available per reasonable request to the principal investigator 1 year after study completion.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: 1 year after study completion
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No