A schema theory of discrete motor skill learning.

Abstract

A number of closed-loop postulations to explain motor skills learning and performance phenomena have appeared recently, but each of these views suffers from either (a) logical problems in explaining the phenomena or (b) predictions that are not supported by the empirical evidence. After these difficulties are discussed, a new theory for discrete motor learning is proposed that seems capable of explaining the existing findings. The theory is based on the notion of the schema and uses a recall memory to pro-duce movement and a recognition memory to evaluate response correctness. Some of the predictions are mentioned, research techniques and paradigms that can be used to test the predictions are listed, and data in support of the theory are presented. The field of motor behavior has become extremely interesting in the past few years, probably as a result of some rather severe changes in the way in which researchers have tackled their problems. Prior to about 1960, the area seemed to be dominated by the "task-oriented " approach (Pew, 1974). This approach emphasized "global " motor learning theories, such as that of Hull (1943), or emphasized no theories at all, and the area was dominated by experiment-ers who were testing the effects of a large number of independent variables on the overall learning and performance of motor tasks. Scoring was usually in terms of some very gross index of responding, such as time on target for 30 sec, and there was little concern for the events that changed within Appreciation is extended to my colleagues who provided many useful comments on an earlier draft