Lab 7b - Bilateral Transfer And Observational Learning

Name: Justin Rivera

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Lab Time:

Lab 7b: Bilateral Transfer and Observational Learning Purpose: Students will examine the effects of bilateral transfer and observational learning on juggling performance. Background: Bilateral transfer is a form of transfer of learning that occurs across limbs (e.g., bilaterally), or from one side of the body to the other. A very simple example would be when training a task with the left hand, performance with the right hand improves. The principle of bilateral transfer is used quite often in stroke rehabilitation, where one side of a person’s body is affected. However, recent research suggests that bilateral transfer principles can also be used in the teaching and learning of motor skills in typically-developing populations. Observational learning, or modeling, occurs without any change to behavior. That is, an observer learns a skill or task simply by watching someone else perform the task. In order for observational learning to occur, the observer must pay careful attention to the action, remember the behavior, be able to replicate the behavior, and be motivated to produce the behavior. Observational learning will not occur if the observation is passive. Instructions: Participants will be divided into two groups (observational or bilateral). Note the group you are placed in below. Pretest: Both groups will complete the pretest before any practice occurs. For the pretest, students will attempt to juggle three tennis balls with the non-dominant hand. Record the number of successful catches out of 20. Practice period: The Bilateral group will practice juggling with their dominant hand for 1 minutes. The Observational group will observe the Bilateral group’s practice, following the principles indicated in the background section, above. Posttest: Following the practice period, students from both groups will perform the post-test. Students will attempt to juggle three tennis balls with the non-dominant hand. Record the successful number of catches out of 20. Practice group (observational or bilateral): __observational____

Trial

1 2 3 4 5 Mean

Pretest (NON-DOMINANT successful catches out of 20) 4 4 1 2 2 2.6

Posttest (NON-DOMINANT successful catches out of 20) 2 3 3 4 2 2.8

Difference (posttest score minus pretest score) 2 1 2 2 0 1.4

Group Data: Report your individual mean scores to your instructor, who will compile group data. **Make sure to report which group you were in.

Bilateral Pretest 6.15

Bilateral Posttest 7.03

Bilateral Difference 1.03

Observational Observational Observational Pretest Posttest Difference 4 4.63 .65

Discussion Questions Use a column graph to chart the group data (pre-, post-, and difference scores from both groups). Your graph should have six bars.

1. For both conditions, what should be the expected outcome? a. Observational expected outcome: Watch and count how many catches the bilateral group completes, watch how high the ball goes and if it stays close to their body. You will learn how to juggle based on watching bilateral group. Observers will not be able to juggle as many times as the bilateral group.

b. Bilateral expected outcome: Expected to learn how to juggle with both sides because the more you practice with one you will also learn the other. Bilateral group will juggle more times than the observational group.

2. Were the results of the lab consistent with the expected outcome? Use the data to support your answer, and make sure you discuss results from both groups. Yes the results of the lab were consistent with the expected outcome. The bilateral post test was double the amount of the observational post test. The bilateral pretest came out to 6.15 while the observational posttest came out to 4.63.

3. Did observational learning occur in this lab? What evidence supports your answer? Yes I believe observational learning occurred but there wasn’t much. The pretest was 4 and the posttest was 4.63 so not much learning was shown.

4. Name one motor skill or task that observational learning could be useful for. How would you set up practice for that skill using the principles of bilateral transfer? One motor skill observational learning could be used for is shooting a free throw in basketball. I would set up this practice by having the bilateral group practice the free throw while the observational group observes the shooting process. I would have them say the cues to shooting the ball and have them go through the cues in slow motion.

5. Did bilateral transfer occur in this lab? What evidence supports your answer? I believe bilateral transfer occurred in thi lab just based on the outcomes from the posttest both increased from the pretest. The bilateral difference was 1.03 and the observational difference was .65.

Name: Justin Rivera

Partner:

Lab Time:

6. Name one motor skill or task where the principles of bilateral transfer could be used to facilitate learning. How would you set up practice for that skill using the principles of bilateral transfer? One motor skill bilateral transfer could be used to facilitate learning is also shooting a soccer ball at a small goal. The more practice on a small goal will prepare them better for the regular sized goal.