Psychology of Skill Memory and Learning

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Questions and Answers

What is most likely a characteristic of skill memory?

It relies solely on conscious awareness.

It consists only of declarative knowledge.

It is similar to both episodic and semantic memories. (correct)

It can be developed without repetitive practice.

Which of the following best describes cognitive skills in problem-solving?

They are unique to human abilities only.

They are solely dependent on physical capabilities.

They require time and complexity to develop.

They can be quickly acquired through simple tasks. (correct)

How do perceptual motor skills differ from cognitive skills?

Cognitive skills can only be observed in humans.

Perceptual motor skills involve learned movement patterns. (correct)

Cognitive skills require less brain engagement than perceptual motor skills.

Perceptual motor skills are not influenced by sensory inputs.

What factor does NOT typically influence the retention of learned skills?

The method of initial instruction. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement about talent and expertise is accurate?

Both talent and practice contribute to achieving expertise. Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes incidental learning?

It involves learning without awareness by stumbling upon strategies. Signup and view all the answers

How do patients with anterograde amnesia learn new skills?

They can learn skills without consciously being aware of their learning. Signup and view all the answers

What factor primarily influences the retention of skill memories?

The number of times a skill has been physically performed. Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of sleep on the performance of learned skills?

Sleep enhances performance for skills learned on separate days and can also help when skills are learned in succession. Signup and view all the answers

What is described as skill-decay?

The loss of skill due to prolonged non-use. Signup and view all the answers

What primarily causes forgetting of learned skills?

Interference from newly learned skills or the passage of time. Signup and view all the answers

Which statement best describes Fitts’s Three Stage Model of Skill Learning?

The model describes the transition from cognitive effort to automatic performance. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines transfer specificity?

The restriction of learned skills being applied only in specific situations. Signup and view all the answers

What complicates the determination of perceptual motor skill learning deficits in Huntington's disease patients?

Their inability to remember or access actions due to apraxia Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly distinguishes the learning abilities of Parkinson's disease patients from those with Huntington's disease?

Parkinson's patients can still learn some skills that Huntington's patients cannot. Signup and view all the answers

What is a common psychological issue associated with Huntington's disease?

Mood disorders Signup and view all the answers

What aspect of memory may be impaired in Huntington's disease, affecting skill learning?

Retrieval of how to perform skills Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best explains the difference between the effects of Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease on motor function?

Parkinson's disease allows some skill learning that Huntington's disease does not. Signup and view all the answers

What fundamental neurological change in Parkinson's disease contributes to the disease's motor control issues?

Reduction in neurons in the brainstem Signup and view all the answers

Which outcome is less likely for patients with Huntington's disease compared to those with Parkinson's disease?

Learning new perceptual and motor skills Signup and view all the answers

In terms of cognitive decline, what challenge do Huntington's disease patients face that affects their skill learning?

Difficulty with planning and sequencing Signup and view all the answers

What type of learning do Huntington's disease patients retain a capability for, despite their impairments?

Implicit learning of procedural tasks Signup and view all the answers

What may be a significant consequence of the cognitive decline that occurs in Huntington's disease?

Reduced ability to remember past actions Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the role of the brainstem in movement?

It plays a critical role in controlling and coordinating movements. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary role of the basal ganglia in skill learning?

To initiate and control movements. Signup and view all the answers

How do practicing skills influence the basal ganglia circuits?

Practicing alters how basal ganglia circuits are involved in skill performance. Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect of memory is less dependent on verbalized memories according to the content?

Motor movement performance. Signup and view all the answers

Which neurons are primarily activated at the start of a movement in the T-shaped maze experiment with rats?

Neurons that fire mostly at the start of movement. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes a factor that may affect skill retention?

Enhanced synaptic plasticity through varied experiences. Signup and view all the answers

What impact does sleep have on learning new motor skills?

It may enhance synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation. Signup and view all the answers

Which mechanism contributes to forgetting motor skills over time?

Diminishment of synaptic connections due to lack of use. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes implicit learning in relation to motor skills?

It occurs without conscious awareness of performance changes. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary neural function of the thalamus in relation to motor control?

To mediate interactions between the basal ganglia and motor cortex. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Skill Memory

Skill memory is hard to convey to others, but can be acquired unconsciously.
Requires repetition to master and improve over time.
It is similar to episodic and semantic memories.
Retrieval time depends on how well it was learned, how often it was recalled, and its complexity.

Perceptual Motor Skills

Learned movements guided by sensory input.
Two types:
- Closed skills: pre-defined movements, e.g., ballet, swimming.
- Open skills: adapting to changing environments, e.g., team sports.
Not limited to humans; animals can also learn these skills.

Cognitive Skills

Use of the brain to solve problems and apply strategies.
Often studied through tasks like the Tower of Hanoi puzzle.
Demonstrated in animals; researchers and animal trainers have observed tool use and problem-solving in animals.
Skill use often involves both perceptual-motor skill and cognitive skill.

Expertise and Talent

Natural abilities exist, but improvement is tied to practice.
People who excel in a skill are often thought of as talented or naturally gifted.
Talent may play a role, but practice also decisively impacts expertise.
Studies with twins support that practice can overcome some effects usually attributed to a person's genetic traits.

Practice

Important for skill improvement; repetitive actions improve skill.
Feedback, whether positive or neutral, helps optimize performance.
Research has shown that those who get feedback performed better over a period of time.

Acquiring Skills

The 'law of diminishing returns' explains that the amount of time needed to improve a skill reduces as practice extends although the amount of improvement decreases over time as well.
Practice sessions after the first produce smaller improvements in performance.
Feedback on performance is key to effective practice.
Feedback and spaced repetition practices are far more effective than massed practice.

Implicit Learning

Learning that happens without conscious awareness.
Two types:
- Incidental learning: Learning by consistently performing a task, leading to the discovery of a strategy.
- Learning in people with anterograde amnesia: This suggests skill learning can potentially take place without conscious awareness in cases of other learning impairments.

Retention and Forgetting

Factors affecting skill memory, including encoding, recall, and conditions.
Skill retention tends to be better than cognitive skill retention.
Forgetting of skills frequently occurs right after their last use, but the rate of forgetting tends to slow down over time.
Interference from other skills and actions can cause forgetting.

Transfer of Training

Skills can be highly specific to situations; the ability to apply a skill learned in one setting to a different but similar one may not be generalizable.
The same skill may require a unique method to be performed consistently due to an overlap or other unique differences between environments.
Thorndike's theory of Identical Elements points out that how well skills transfer depend on how much it shares similar elements or characteristics.

Models of Skill Memory

Describes how skills are structured and stored.

Motor Programs and Rules

Motor programs are innate (reflexes) or learned sequences of movements; motor programs are sequences of movements or a set of instructions recalled from memory.
Practiced skills can become automatic.
Skill performance can be viewed as a memory of events or facts.

Stages of Acquisition

Different stages during the learning process; Fitts's 3-stage model:
- Cognitive: trial-error, learning, and instruction (focus on understanding the skill).
- Associative: Refining movements and coordinating them.
- Autonomous: Skill becomes automatic and effortless.

Brain Substrates

Movement involves coordinated muscle activity and the brain, particularly the basal ganglia, brain stem and spinal cord.
Sensory cortices also contribute.

Basal Ganglia and Skill Learning

Cluster of neurons related to initiating and controlling movement.
The Basal Ganglia plays a role in movement and the practice of that movement and not necessarily the remembering itself.
The basal ganglia helps initiate and control motor units but not necessarily encode motor skill memories.
Practice of skills alters how basal ganglia circuits perform skills.

Neural Activity and Perceptual Motor Skill Learning

Neurons show specific activation patterns related to skill learning and that these changes can persist over months or even years.
Brain-imaging techniques have shown that the basal ganglia has specific role in skill learning.

Brain Activity During Cognitive Skill Learning

Basal ganglia activated particularly during cognitive skill learning.

Cortical Representation of Skills

Skill performance changes the cortical areas used for skills.
Cortical expansion in areas relating to skills is seen in mammals during skill acquisition.
Cortical changes in neural circuits occur when a skill is practiced.

The Cerebellum

Involved in encoding and retrieving skill memories, especially for movement timing.
Provides critical input into motor sequences and skill learning improvement.
Active during skill learning, especially precise motor skills.

Clinical Perspectives

Conditions impacting skill learning, including:
- Apraxia: Difficulty with skill coordination.
- Huntington's Disease: Progressive neurodegenerative disease that negatively impacts skill memory, thought, and motor control.
- Parkinson's Disease: Progressive neurological disorder affecting motor control, including difficulty in initiating movements.

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Description

Explore the fascinating aspects of skill memory, perceptual motor skills, and cognitive skills in this quiz. Understand how these skills are acquired and the conditions that affect mastery and retrieval. Delve into the differences between closed and open skills, as well as the role of expertise and talent in learning.