Chapter 13 Transfer of Learning

Purpose Transfer –What’s the benefit of playing T-ball before softball/baseball? –What’s the benefit of practicing “snow plough” before parallel turns (skiing)? –What’s the benefit of weight training for vertical jump height? –What’s the benefit of relaxation training for elite performance?

Definition Transfer is… –“the influence of previous experiences on performing a skill in a new context, or on performing a new skill” Can be… –Positive…helpful –Negative…harmful (to learning??) –Zero (neutral)…irrelevant

Assessing Transfer For related skills (skills 1 and 2): Experimental group Practice skill 1Perform skill 2 versus Control group No practicePerform skill 2

Assessing Transfer For related contexts (1 and 2): Experimental group Practice in context 1Perform in context 2 versus Control group No practicePerform in context 2

Assessing Transfer In both cases, the question is “which group performs better in the end?”

Reason for Transfer Similarity of skill or context –Identical elements theory Similarity of processing –Transfer appropriate processing theory Specificity of practice –Match the test conditions as well as you can Sports psych examples, & see p.238 “a closer look”

Negative transfer Old stimulus, new response –“Old habits die hard” Why negative transfer? –Breaking perception-action coupling –Cognitive confusion Could be different sides of the same coin

Bilateral transfer Transfer of performance of a skill from one limb to another –Establish degree of transfer like this: Pre-test Practice trials Post-test Preferred limb XXX Non- preferred limb XX

Bilateral transfer Transfer of performance of a skill from one limb to another –Cognitive (will be most important when strategic aspects of task predominate) Maze task – movements relatively simple, and not a problem for an adult, but the amount of tilt needed to guide the ball through the maze might be important –Motor (will be most important when the task requires novel coordination to be learned) Juggling a football – you’re just bouncing a ball on your foot. But its takes quite a bit of practice to master the control of the limbs.