In this thesis, specific practice conditions were examined for skill acquisition and transfer of perceptual-cognitive-motor processes underlying dynamic and complex performance. The availability of visual and cognitive processes during practice was modulated to examine contribution of each process to the skill acquisition using a novel computer-based task where participants were required to select and execute decisions to move a cursor to a target whilst avoiding random moving objects. Results demonstrated that practice with necessary information and processes improved the task performance, whereas limiting the underlying processes attenuated skill acquisition. Subsequently, the underlying processes were examined by measuring eye movements and condition-action pairs. Successful skill acquisition was underpinned by the modified visual search and decision making processes through practice. However, limiting necessary sensory information and decoupling cognitive processing during practice developed specific sensorimotor behaviour that did not lead to successful task performance. These results provided an insight of the skill acquisition by suggesting that when a task requires the acquisition of perceptual-cognitive-motor processes to be successful, integration of these processes would be necessary, whereas decoupling of these processes would limit skill acquisition. Moreover, transfer of acquired processes was examined between two tasks. Both tasks required the acquisition of similar perceptual-cognitive processes in order to select successful cursor trajectories, but the main goal differed between tasks. In addition, for both tasks a yoked condition aimed to limit cognitive processes to investigate the role of transfer-appropriate processing in skill acquisition. Results showed positive transfer indicating that practice on another task improved performance on the other task, whereas limiting cognitive processes attenuated the skill acquisition and transfer. Transfer would be maximised when the underlying processes between practice and transfer domain are similar or matched, whereas the transfer would be attenuated when the necessary processes are decoupled during practice. The overall findings extend the research in perceptual-cognitive-motor processes and have several theoretical and applied implications.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:682428 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Uji, Makoto |
| Contributors | Bennett, Simon ; Ford, Paul ; Hayes, Spencer |
| Publisher | Liverpool John Moores University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/4324/ |
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