Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Dahm, Stephan F.
• Rieger, Martina

Titel

Time course of learning sequence representations in action imagery practice

Ist Teil von

• Human movement science, 2023-02, Vol.87, p.103050-103050, Article 103050

Ort / Verlag

Netherlands: Elsevier B.V

Erscheinungsjahr

2023

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

MEDLINE

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Action imagery practice (AIP) is effective to improve motor performance in a variety of tasks, though it is often less effective than action execution practice (AEP). In sequence learning, AIP and AEP result in the acquisition of effector-independent representations. However, it is unresolved whether effector-dependent representations can be acquired in AIP. In the present study, we investigated the acquisition of effector-independent representations and effector-dependent representations in AEP and AIP in an implicit sequence learning task (a visual serial-reaction-time task, involving a twelve-element sequence). Participants performed six sessions, each starting with tests. A practice sequence, a mirror sequence, and a different sequence were tested with the practice and transfer hand. In the first four sessions, after the tests, two groups performed either AIP (N = 50) or AEP (N = 54). Improvement in the different sequence indicated sequence-unspecific learning in both AEP and AIP. Importantly, reaction times of the practice hand became shorter in the practice sequence than in the other sequences, indicating implicit sequence learning in both, AEP and AIP. This effect was stronger in the practice hand than in the transfer hand, indicating effector-dependent sequence representations in both AEP and AIP. However, effector-dependent sequence representations were stronger in AEP than in AIP. No significant differences between groups were observed in the transfer hand, although effector-independent sequence representations were observed in AEP only. In conclusion, AIP promotes not only sequence-unspecific stimulus-response coupling and anticipations of the subsequent stimuli, but also anticipations of the subsequent responses. •Action-imagery practice (AIP) and action-execution practice (AEP) were compared•In an implicit sequence learning task, sequences are learned in AEP and AIP•Effector-independent sequence representations are similar after AEP and AIP•Effector-dependent representations are weaker after AIP than AEP