Understanding Self-Controlled Motor Learning Protocols through the Self-Determination Theory
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The purpose of the present review was to provide a theoretical understanding of the learning advantages underlying a self-controlled practice context through the tenets of the self-determination theory (SDT). Three micro-theories within the macro-theory of SDT (Basic psychological needs theory, Cognitive Evaluation Theory, and Organismic Integration Theory) are used as a framework for examining the current self-controlled motor learning literature. A review of 26 peer-reviewed, empirical studies from the motor learning and medical training literature revealed an important limitation of the self-controlled research in motor learning: that the effects of motivation have been assumed rather than quantified. The SDT offers a basis from which to include measurements of motivation into explanations of changes in behavior. This review suggests that a self-controlled practice context can facilitate such factors as feelings of autonomy and competence of the learner, thereby supporting the psychological needs of the learner, leading to long term changes to behavior. Possible tools for the measurement of motivation and regulation in future studies are discussed. The SDT not only allows for a theoretical reinterpretation of the extant motor learning research supporting self-control as a learning variable, but also can help to better understand and measure the changes occurring between the practice environment and the observed behavioral outcomes.
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Studies in the motor learning literature have shown that giving the learner control over certain aspects of the practice conditions enhances motor skill learning.
“Consistently, studies in the motor learning literature have shown that giving the learner control over certain aspects of the practice conditions enhances motor skill learning (for reviews, see Sanli, Patterson, Bray, & Lee, 2013;Wulf, 2007b).”
From Optimizing performance through intrinsic motivation and attention for learning: The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning (2016) · cites this paper as Sanli, Patterson, Bray, & Lee, 2013
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- Authors
- Sanli, E. A., Patterson, J. T., Bray, S. R., & Lee, T. D.
- Affiliations
- McMaster University (CA)
- Brock University (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Sanli, Elizabeth A.
- Venue
- Frontiers in Psychology
- Publisher
- Frontiers Media SA
- Published
- 2013
- Volume
- 3
- Pages
- 611-611
- ISSN
- 1664-1078 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC3576889
- OpenAlex
- W2170992891
- Cited by
- 213
- References
- 52
- Citations by year
- 2026: 14 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 18 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 21 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 3
- FWCI
- 22.01
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by
- Locations
- Frontiers in Psychology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Motivation and Self-Concept in Sports
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation › Sports and Physical Education Research
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Sport Psychology and Performance
- Keywords
- motor learning, self-determination theory, basic psychological needs theory, cognitive evaluation theory, organismic integration theory, motivation measurement, autonomy, competence, self-regulation, medical training
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