The Effect of Self-Controlled Feedback on Learning to Produce Low, Medium and Maximum Forces in Mental Fatigue Condition

Abstract

Mental fatigue is a psychological state caused by prolonged periods of cognitive activity and decreases physical performance, but its impact on motor learning has been less studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of self-controlled feedback on learning to produce low, medium and maximum forces in mental fatigue condition. Participants consisted of 28 eligible volunteers who were randomly divided into two groups of self-controlled feedback and yoked. Electrical dynamometer, Stroop test, multidimensional fatigue inventory and the VAS scale were used in this study. Both groups firstly performed the Stroop test for one hour under mental fatigue protocol and they entered the acquisition phase of force production task after making sure that mental fatigue was created. Immediate and delayed retention tests were performed 10 minutes and 48 hours after the end of the acquisition phase respectively. Findings showed that in mental fatigue condition, there was no significant difference between self-controlled feedback and yoked groups in acquisition and retention of different forces. Also, the error produced in learning the medium force was less than those in learning the low and maximum forces in the mental fatigue condition, that is to say the learning of the medium force was significantly better than the low force. The results showed that mental fatigue reduces the effectiveness of self-controlled feedback and destroys learning to produce low and maximum forces more than medium force.