Abstract
Recent research has revealed similarities in brain activity during observational learning and motor execution. However, whilst action develops visual, motor and afferent representations during acquisition, action-observation has been proposed to only develop visual-spatial learning via visual representation. In addition, it has been suggested that the vividness of visual representations are determined by imagery ability. Thus, the purpose of the current investigation was to explore the possible moderating role of imagery ability in the effectiveness of observational learning. Participants (n = 40) were assessed on their imagery ability via the Vividness of Movement Imagery Questionnaire-2 (VMIQ-2) and then assigned to one of four groups; high imagery ability and observational learning (HIA-OL), low imagery ability and observational learning (LIA-OL), high imagery ability control (HIA-C) and low imagery ability control (LIA-C). Following group allocation all participants performed a pre-test consisting of five actual practice trials of a novel gymnastics routine. The HIA-OL and LIA-OL groups then participated in a 14 day observational learning intervention whilst the HIA-C and LIA-C groups acted as controls. Following this, participants performed a post test, which was identical in nature to the pre-test, before finally completing the VMIQ-2 again. Performance on both the pre-test and post test was evaluated by two qualified gymnastics judges. Results revealed that gymnastics performance increased from pre-test to post test for both the HIA-OL and LIA-OL groups. However, this effect was greater in the HIA-OL group suggesting that the relationship between observational learning and successful imitation performance is moderated by imagery ability.
Highlights
Following recent improvements in the measurement (e.g., PET, fMRI) of cognitive activity in the brain researchers have begun to study the neural correlates between both action observation and movement imitation (Decety et al, 1997; Grezes and Decety, 2001; Filimon et al, 2007)
The one-way ANOVA conducted on the pre-test gymnastics performance data revealed a non significant between group difference, F(3, 36) = .53, p = .67 (HIA-observational learning (OL) mean = 3.16; high imagery ability control (HIA-C) mean = 2.56; low imagery ability and observational learning (LIA-OL) mean = 3.10; low imagery ability control (LIA-C) mean = 2.52)
Breakdown of the interaction revealed that only those groups that had experienced the observational learning intervention increased their performance pre to post test (HIA-OL t(9) = −11.06, p < .001, i − j = 3.06, d = 1.83, r = .67; LIA-OL t(9) = −6.39, p < .001, i − j = 1.38, d = 0.82, r = .38), with this increase being significantly greater in the high compared to the low imagery ability group
Summary
Following recent improvements in the measurement (e.g., PET, fMRI) of cognitive activity in the brain researchers have begun to study the neural correlates between both action observation and movement imitation (Decety et al, 1997; Grezes and Decety, 2001; Filimon et al, 2007) Research in this area has revealed the activation of common neural structures (e.g., Parieto-frontal areas, cerebellum and supplementary motor area (SMA)) between observational learning (OL) and physical practice in both healthy (Macuga and Frey, 2012; Nedelko et al, 2012; Szameitat et al, 2012) and patient populations (Szameitat et al, 2012). In order to accurately acquire executed motor skills individuals need to develop internal feed-forward and inverse models These compare the expected and actual feedback to map the correct movement commands to the required sensory consequences and transform sensory consequences into the correct motor commands, respectively. Whilst actual practice involves all of these motor and sensory transformations, OL affords only some since the observer experiences the same visual input as those in movement execution but does not experience the processes involved either in sending neural commands to the motor periphery or in receiving resultant afferent feedback from movement
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