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Journal of Experimental Psychology.... May 2022Ideomotor (IM) theory provides a popular mechanistic account for understanding how goal-directed action can be learned and instigated. That is, when associations between...
Ideomotor (IM) theory provides a popular mechanistic account for understanding how goal-directed action can be learned and instigated. That is, when associations between actions and outcomes have been established in memory, the perception or thought of the outcome could automatically activate the associated action. Whereas a sizable literature provides evidence in line with this account, it does not successfully exclude alternative explanations in terms of propositions based on causal inferences. In the present paper, we present an online IM paradigm, in which learning and testing occurs on the same trials. In line with recent findings, we demonstrate that IM effects can emerge within a couple of trials, but also that people can update learned action-outcome associations immediately when a new mapping of outcomes on actions is introduced, without any switch costs. Together, this suggests that IM effects may be driven by propositions about causal relations, rather than bidirectional associations stored in memory. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).
Topics: Humans; Learning; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 35377704
DOI: 10.1037/xhp0000994 -
Neuroscience Letters Jan 2022Manual motor deficits are common in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, it is unclear whether these impairments persist into...
Manual motor deficits are common in children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD); however, it is unclear whether these impairments persist into adulthood. The aim of this study was to examine manual dexterity and strength in young adults with ADHD aged 18-25 years. Sixty-one individuals with confirmed ADHD and 56 adults without ADHD completed Purdue Pegboard tasks for manual dexterity and maximal hand- and pinch-grip tests for strength. In the Purdue Pegboard task, participants placed pins using the right, left, and both-hands, respectively. In addition, participants built assemblies using pins, washers, and collars with alternating hand movements. The results demonstrated that women without ADHD out-performed the other three groups in the right-hand, bimanual, and assembly PPB tasks. Both maximal hand strength tests demonstrated that men were stronger than women, but no differences were observed between adults with and without ADHD. The current findings suggest that adults with ADHD may have deficits in manual dexterity and tasks requiring bimanual coordination.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity; Female; Humans; Male; Motor Skills; Muscle Strength; Psychomotor Performance; Young Adult
PubMed: 34785312
DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136349 -
Scientific Reports Mar 2022Combat tasks involving special units often put a mental and physical strain on the soldiers. During the military operation, soldiers may struggle with multiple...
Combat tasks involving special units often put a mental and physical strain on the soldiers. During the military operation, soldiers may struggle with multiple difficulties such as extreme physical effort, sleep deprivation, weather conditions, limited access to food and stress. These circumstances require a high level of cognitive ability (including psychomotor abilities) to overcome the physiological stress response and to be able to quickly and efficiently make decisions under stressful situations, especially in combat. The aim of the study was to assess the level of the psychomotor abilities of candidates for the Polish Special Forces. The study comprised 48 candidates for the Polish Special Forces (age: [Formula: see text]), 40 athletes (age: [Formula: see text]) and 40 non-athletes (age: 24). The study was performed using Test2Drive software. Four computer-based tests were used to assess the following psychomotor abilities: simple reaction time, choice reaction time, hand-eye coordination and two-dimensional visuomotor coordination/spatial orientation test (SPANT). The analysis demonstrated statistically significant differences in reaction time and motor time between the study groups. The shortest reaction time in each test was observed in athletes, while the shortest motor time was observed in soldiers. All the psychomotor tests, except for the number of correct answers in SPANT, demonstrated statistically significant differences between the studied groups. It was also found that military training had a positive effect on the motor time in every psychomotor test. As regards the reaction time, it was observed that the athletes were characterised with better reaction times than the special forces candidates. The study has confirmed that military training and sports training have a positive effect on the level of psychomotor abilities, especially motor time.
Topics: Adult; Humans; Military Personnel; Poland; Psychomotor Performance; Reaction Time; Sports; Young Adult
PubMed: 35332229
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-09138-4 -
Headache Jan 2020To review the published findings relevant to migraine and driving performance, with an intent to encourage discussion on research which may broaden understanding in this... (Review)
Review
OBJECTIVE
To review the published findings relevant to migraine and driving performance, with an intent to encourage discussion on research which may broaden understanding in this area and help educate healthcare providers and their patients.
BACKGROUND
Motor vehicle crashes result in more than 35,000 deaths and more than 2 million injuries annually in the United States. Migraine is one of the most prevalent diseases in the world, and many symptoms associated with migraine attacks have the potential to negatively influence driving ability.
METHODS
We reviewed the published findings related to migraine and driving performance. Study findings relevant to symptoms of migraine and their potential effect on driving were also reviewed. This required a more expansive exploration of the literature beyond migraine, for example, review of the literature relating to the effect of pain, sleepiness, visual disturbances, or vertigo on driving. Finally, the potential effects of treatment for migraine on driving were reviewed.
RESULTS
Literature on the effect of migraine on driving performance is sparse and, in general published studies on the topic have a number of limitations. Based on review of the literature pertaining to other disorders, it seems feasible that some symptoms occurring as part of the migraine attack could impact driving performance, although formal study in this area is lacking. Many of the approved treatments for migraine have the potential to impact driving, yet this has not been specifically studied, and the extent to which these risks are communicated to patients is not clear.
CONCLUSION
The impact of migraine on driving performance has been largely neglected, with few studies specifically designed to address the topic, and relevant studies were generally small with limited control of confounders. This area requires more focus, given a potential for impact on road safety.
Topics: Automobile Driving; Humans; Migraine Disorders; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 31792964
DOI: 10.1111/head.13716 -
Scientific Reports Sep 2022The more distant two consecutive stimuli are presented, the longer the temporal interstimulus interval (ISI) between their presentations is perceived (kappa effect). The...
The more distant two consecutive stimuli are presented, the longer the temporal interstimulus interval (ISI) between their presentations is perceived (kappa effect). The present study aimed at testing whether the kappa effect not only affects perceptual estimates of time, but also motor action, more specifically, interception. In a first step, the original kappa paradigm was adapted to assess the effect in temporal prediction. Second, the task was further modified to an interception task, requiring participants to spatially and temporally predict and act. In two online experiments, a white circle was successively presented at three locations moving from left to right with constant spatial and temporal ISIs in between. Participants were asked to either (i) indicate the time of appearance of the predicted fourth stimulus (Exp. 1) or to (ii) intercept the predicted fourth location at the correct time (Exp. 2). In both experiments the temporal response depended on the spatial intervals. In line with the kappa effect, participants predicted the final stimulus to appear later (Exp. 1) or intercepted it later (Exp. 2), the more distant the stimuli were presented. Together, these results suggest that perceptual biases such as the kappa effect impact motor interception performance.
Topics: Humans; Psychomotor Performance; Spatial Analysis
PubMed: 36138102
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-18789-2 -
Journal of Sport Rehabilitation Nov 2022An Optimizing Performance through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning theory-based motor learning intervention delivering autonomy support and enhanced...
CONTEXT
An Optimizing Performance through Intrinsic Motivation and Attention for Learning theory-based motor learning intervention delivering autonomy support and enhanced expectancies (EE) shows promise for reducing cognitive-motor dual-task costs, or the relative difference in primary task performance when completed with and without a secondary cognitive task, that facilitate adaptive injury-resistant movement response. The current pilot study sought to determine the effectiveness of an autonomy support versus an EE-enhanced virtual reality motor learning intervention to reduce dual-task costs during single-leg balance.
DESIGN
Within-subjects 3 × 3 trial.
METHODS
Twenty-one male and 24 female participants, between the ages of 18 and 30 years, with no history of concussion, vertigo, lower-extremity surgery, or lower-extremity injuries the previous 6 months, were recruited for training sessions on consecutive days. Training consisted of 5 × 8 single-leg squats on each leg, during which all participants mimicked an avatar through virtual reality goggles. The autonomy support group chose an avatar color, and the EE group received positive kinematic biofeedback. Baseline, immediate, and delayed retention testing consisted of single-leg balancing under single- and dual-task conditions. Mixed-model analysis of variances compared dual-task costs for center of pressure velocity and SD between groups on each limb.
RESULTS
On the right side, dual-task costs for anterior-posterior center of pressure mean and SD were reduced in the EE group (mean Δ = -51.40, Cohen d = 0.80 and SD Δ = -66.00%, Cohen d = 0.88) compared with the control group (mean Δ = -22.09, Cohen d = 0.33 and SD Δ = -36.10%, Cohen d = 0.68) from baseline to immediate retention.
CONCLUSIONS
These findings indicate that EE strategies that can be easily implemented in a clinic or sport setting may be superior to task-irrelevant AS approaches for influencing injury-resistant movement adaptations.
Topics: Humans; Male; Female; Infant, Newborn; Psychomotor Performance; Feasibility Studies; Pilot Projects; Biofeedback, Psychology; Task Performance and Analysis
PubMed: 35728805
DOI: 10.1123/jsr.2021-0226 -
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review Feb 2020Practice of two simultaneous component tasks in dual-task situations leads to an improvement in dual-task performance. The present paper reviews empirical evidence for... (Review)
Review
Practice of two simultaneous component tasks in dual-task situations leads to an improvement in dual-task performance. The present paper reviews empirical evidence for this practice-related improvement and discusses its underlying cognitive mechanisms. In particular, the robustness of the phenomenon of dual-task practice advantage (DTPA) is evaluated. This phenomenon is described as an advantage in dual-task performance at the end of dual-task practice (i.e., simultaneous task practice) in comparison to the dual-task performance after single-task practice (i.e., separate task practice). The review investigates the existence of empirical evidence of the DTPA phenomenon and specifications of its mechanisms in the context of the allocation and scheduling hypothesis and the integration hypothesis. Evidence for the existence of the DTPA phenomenon and the allocation and scheduling hypothesis was demonstrated in dual tasks with (1) combinations of two sensorimotor tasks, (2) combinations of one continuous task and one sensorimotor task, (3) combinations of two working-memory tasks, and (4) combinations of one motor task and one cognitive task. In contrast, the findings demonstrate that the DTPA phenomenon in dual tasks with (5) combinations of two long-term memory retrieval tasks can instead be explained by the integration hypothesis. The relevance of these findings is discussed in relation to real-world problems.
Topics: Executive Function; Humans; Memory, Short-Term; Practice, Psychological; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 31152433
DOI: 10.3758/s13423-019-01619-4 -
Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback Sep 2022We examined whether practice in an open skill video-game task would lead to changes in performance, attention, motivation, perceived effort, and theta, alpha, and beta...
We examined whether practice in an open skill video-game task would lead to changes in performance, attention, motivation, perceived effort, and theta, alpha, and beta waves. Specifically, we were interested on whether potential performance gains from practice would be primarily explained by the neural efficiency (i.e., cortical idling) or the neural proficiency hypothesis (i.e., mix of heightened and reduced activation across the cortex). To this end, we asked 16 novice participants (8 males and 8 females; Mage = 23.13 years) to play a Nintendo Wii video-game shooting task, namely Link's Crossbow Training. Pre-test scores, which were followed by an acquisition phase, were compared to post-test scores. Performance and subjective data were recorded for each trial and EEG data was continuously recorded using the portable EEGO System. Our findings revealed that performance increased while attention decreased at post-test, thereby confirming that practice leads to performance gains and reduces attentional overload. No changes in motivation or perceived effort were observed, perhaps because effort is a gestalt multidimension construct and video-gaming is an inherently motivating activity. EEG frequency analysis revealed that, for the most part, performance gains were accompanied by increased cortical activity across frequencies bands, thus lending primary support to the neural proficiency hypothesis. Accordingly, neurofeedback interventions to aid motor learning should teach performers not only how to silence their brains (i.e., quiescence state linked to automaticity and "flow") but also how to amplify task-relevant brain networks.
Topics: Attention; Brain; Female; Humans; Male; Psychomotor Performance; Video Games; Young Adult
PubMed: 35688989
DOI: 10.1007/s10484-022-09553-3 -
Cell Reports May 2020To understand the neural basis of behavior, it is important to reveal how movements are planned, executed, and refined by networks of neurons distributed throughout the...
To understand the neural basis of behavior, it is important to reveal how movements are planned, executed, and refined by networks of neurons distributed throughout the nervous system. Here, we report the neuroanatomical organization and behavioral roles of cerebellospinal (CeS) neurons. Using intersectional genetic techniques, we find that CeS neurons constitute a small minority of excitatory neurons in the fastigial and interpositus deep cerebellar nuclei, target pre-motor circuits in the ventral spinal cord and the brain, and control distinct aspects of movement. CeS neurons that project to the ipsilateral cervical cord are required for skilled forelimb performance, while CeS neurons that project to the contralateral cervical cord are involved in skilled locomotor learning. Together, this work establishes CeS neurons as a critical component of the neural circuitry for skilled movements and provides insights into the organizational logic of motor networks.
Topics: Animals; Cerebellar Nuclei; Mice; Neurons; Psychomotor Performance
PubMed: 32402292
DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107595 -
Annual International Conference of the... Jul 2023The Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is a simple and reliable performance test that measures sustained attention, alertness level, and fatigue level. The PVT is a...
The Psychomotor Vigilance Test (PVT) is a simple and reliable performance test that measures sustained attention, alertness level, and fatigue level. The PVT is a convenient tool that can be used in real time in situ through a mobile device without the assistance of experts and therefore can be used to improve safety and prevent accidents. However, the original PVT is vulnerable to the subject's intentional concentration on the test, and the variance range among tests is narrow; these factors limit its usefulness in classifying the level of fatigue. This study overcome these limitations and develop the Psychomotor Cognition Test (PCT) by transforming the PVT into a tool that stably classifies fatigue levels, still requiring a short period of time. In the PCT, compared to the PVT, reaction time is significantly longer, and success rate is significantly lower (both p<0.0001). Whereas reaction time and success rate of the PVT do not show a significant correlation with fatigue level, those of the PCT show significant correlations with fatigue level, respectively (p<0.001). This study suggests that the PCT can be used in real time in situ as a risk management tool for workers performing dangerous tasks and can become an even more powerful tool when combined with other physiological indicators.
Topics: Humans; Psychomotor Performance; Sleepiness; Reaction Time; Fatigue; Cognition
PubMed: 38083744
DOI: 10.1109/EMBC40787.2023.10340988