THE CONTEXTUAL INTERFERENCE EFFECT IN THE LEARNING OF A MANUAL AIMING TASK

ABSTRACT The association between contextual interference effect (CIE) and kinematic measures has been little investigated. The purpose of this study was to investigate the CIE on velocity and acceleration kinematic profiles of upper limb. Thirty-two subjects (23,7 ± 3,3 years) were assigned to groups of blocked practice (GPB) and random practice (GPA). The task consisted in achieve three targets in three specific sequences as quickly and accurately as possible. The study was designed in acquisition phase and transfer test. The variables of performance were reaction time, movement time, and response time and the kinematic variables were peak of speed, relative time to peak of speed, and number of peak acceleration points. The main findings showed that GPA showed lower movement time and response time than GPB. Regression analysis indicated that change in peak velocity during practice was associated to the change of the reaction time from practice to the transfer test. As peak velocity is a measure related to preprogramming, it is suggested that central control was essential to the CIE.

摘要 情境干扰效应（contextual interference effect, CIE）与运动学指标之间的关联尚未得到充分探究。本研究旨在探究情境干扰效应对上肢速度与加速度运动学特征的影响。32名受试者（年龄23.7±3.3岁）被分为固定练习组（blocked practice, GPB）与随机练习组（random practice, GPA）。实验任务要求受试者以尽可能快速且精准的方式，按照三种特定序列完成三个目标任务。本研究设置了习得阶段与迁移测试环节。行为表现变量包括反应时、运动时与响应时；运动学变量则涵盖速度峰值、到达速度峰值的相对时间以及加速度峰值点数量。主要研究结果显示，随机练习组（GPA）的运动时与响应时均短于固定练习组（GPB）。回归分析结果表明，练习过程中速度峰值的变化与从练习阶段到迁移测试阶段的反应时变化存在关联。鉴于速度峰值是与运动预编程相关的指标，本研究提示中枢控制对于情境干扰效应（CIE）至关重要。