Attentional Demand of a Movement Sequence Guided by Visual-Spatial and by Motor Representations

J Mot Behav. 2023;55(1):58-67. doi: 10.1080/00222895.2022.2101424. Epub 2022 Jul 25.

Abstract

The objective of the experiment was to assess the change in attentional demands of a movement sequence guided by visual-spatial and motor representations across practice sessions in a dual-task probe paradigm. Participants were randomly assigned to either a 1-day or 2-day practice group. Following acquisition of the motor sequence task, participants first conducted a retention test and then four inter-manual transfer tests under single and dual-task conditions. The probe task was a simple reaction time. The inter-manual transfer tests, consisting of a mirror and non-mirror test, examined the development of the motor and visual-spatial representation, respectively. The results indicated that both representations guided the movement sequence and required attention. The attentional demands did not change with additional practice.

Keywords: attention; dual-task; sequence learning; sequence representation.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Attention
  • Humans
  • Movement
  • Psychomotor Performance*
  • Reaction Time
  • Retention, Psychology
  • Transfer, Psychology*