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Biomedical subjects

T Toole

Publications and source records attributed to T Toole.

10 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Attentional focus in complex skill learning.

Experiment 1 examined whether it is more advantageous to direct learners' attention to the external effects of their movements relative to other external cues. Two groups of participants hit tennis balls at a target, with one group focusing on the ball coming toward them (antecedent) and the other group focusing on the ball leaving the racket (effect). The effect group demonstrated more effective learning. Experiment 2 examined whether it is more beneficial if the movement effect is related to the movement technique, relative to other movement effects (e.g., outcome). Two groups of participants hit golf balls at a target. The attention of these groups was directed to the club or the ball trajectory, respectively. The club group showed more effective learning than the target group, suggesting that focusing on technique-related effects is more effective.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The learning advantages of an external focus of attention in golf.

This study examined whether the learning advantages of an external focus of attention relative to an internal focus, as demonstrated by Wulf, Höss, and Prinz (1998), would also be found for a sport skill under field-like conditions. Participants (9 women, 13 men; age range: 21-29 years) without experience in golf were required to practice pitch shots. The practice phase consisted of 80 practice trials. One group was instructed to focus on the arm swing (internal focus), whereas another group was instructed to focus on the club swing (external focus). One day after practice, a retention test of 30 trials without instructions was performed. The external-focus condition was more effective for performance during both practice and retention.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Physical assistance devices in complex motor skill learning: benefits of a self-controlled practice schedule.

This study examines the effects of a self-controlled use of physical assistance devices on learning a complex motor skill (i.e., producing slalom-type movements on a ski simulator). Physical assistance was provided by ski poles. One group of learners (self-control) was provided with the poles whenever they requested them, whereas another (yoked) group had no influence on the pole/no-pole schedule. While there were no group differences during the practice phase (Days 1 and 2), clear group differences emerged in the retention test without poles (Day 3). The self-control group produced significantly larger amplitudes than the yoked group. These results extend previous findings by showing learning advantages of the self-controlled use of physical assistance devices in complex motor skill learning.

Humans↗
PubMed1999

Functional roles of the proprioceptive system in the control of goal-directed movement.

This article explored functional roles of the proprioceptive system during the control of goal-directed movements. Proprioceptive information contributes to the control of movement through both reflex and central connections. Spinal and transcortical reflex loops establish a servomechanism which provides automatic corrections of unexpected changes in muscle length and allows compensation for undesirable irregularities in the mechanical properties of muscles by modulating limb stiffness at the subconscious level. Central connections provide the control system with information about peripheral states which is used in voluntary components of movement control. Before the initiation of movement, proprioceptive information about initial limb orientation becomes a basis for the programming of motor commands. During a movement, proprioceptive input about velocities and angular displacements of a limb is used to regulate movement by triggering planned sequences of muscle activation and modulating motor commands. After movement, feedback produced by responses is compared with previously stored information, verifying the quality of the movement. Considering potential roles of the reflex and central connections, the proprioceptive system seems to constitute an important aspect of motor control mechanisms, providing the control system with efficiency and flexibility in the regulation of goal-directed movements.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed1996

The multicomponent nature of equilibrium in persons with parkinsonism: a regression approach.

Lower extremity strength and joint range of motion, body sway, and electromyography responses have all been determined to be factors in balance control of healthy older individuals. The purpose of this study was to identify variables which effect balance control (equilibrium scores) of persons with Parkinsonism, and examine their relationships and predictive abilities. The composite equilibrium score from the sensory organization protocol of the Equitest was used as the dependent variable for the regression analysis. The independent variables included: 1) strategy score; 2) path sway during voluntary body displacement; 3) percent peak torque of knee flexion relative to that of knee extension (%PTKFKE); 4) peak torque of inversion of the ankle at (PTINV); 5) dorsiflexion ROM; and 6) medium loop latency (EMG). The model produced a significant overall relationship accounting for 88% of the variability in equilibrium scores. Positive and significant coefficients indicated a predicted increase in the equilibrium composite score with increases in the strategy score, PTINV and %PTKFKE. These results suggest that postural control of persons with Parkinsonism can be strongly predicted by these three variables.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Gender differences in motor performance of 50- to 79-year-old adults.

This study was conducted to assess gender and age differences among 73 men and women (50-59, 60-69, and 70-79 yr.) on five motor tasks (balance, standing long jump, sit and reach, hand grip, and softball throw). Differences between men and women on the standing long jump, hand grip, and the softball throw favored men. The men had better performance scores than the women on each of these tasks. An interaction of gender by age was noted on the balance task. Women 50-59 yr. old balanced significantly longer than the men of that age group. Age differences were found for the standing long jump, hand grip, and softball throw. The 50-59 age group performed significantly better than the 60-69 and the 70-79 age groups. Performance decreased on each task across age groups. These findings suggest gender differences in motor performance of older adults as has been noted for children.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Age differences in memory for movement.

Two experiments were conducted. The purpose of the first experiment was to determine whether memory deficits for movement occur with age. The 52 subjects for Experiment 1 were placed in four age groups: 18-32; 33-47; 48-62; and 63-77. Tests were administered to determine each subject's ability to encode and recall as many as 12 consecutive linear movement lists. When minimal memory requirements were imposed, there was no significant difference in the ability of the older and younger subjects to immediately recall movements. Older subjects, however, could not recall movements as well as younger subjects when greater memory demands were placed on them. Experiment 2 was conducted to determine why memory impairments occurred in older subjects. Organizational schemes were imposed on the subjects, but age differences were still apparent when greater memory requirements were essential or a larger memory capacity was demanded.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1984

Attentional requirements for location and distance of movement: encoding and recognition.

The purpose of this experiment was to study the early processing stages of encoding and recognition of slow movement in a short-term motor-memory paradigm. These stages were examined by determining whether Laabs' (1973) differential decay rates for location of movement and distance of movement could be replicated when the interfering activity was performed during the criterion and replication movements. 20 subjects performed a linear-positioning task in a 2 X 2 X 2 (count X movement type X retention interval) experimental design. 10 subjects in one condition counted backwards by 3s during the criterion and replication movements. There were no detrimental effects for location and distance-cue reproduction when attention was shared with counting backwards. Like Laabs' results, location of movement was maintained over the 15-sec. interval while distance of movement spontaneously changed. These results supported the notion that the early stages of encoding and recognition of cues for movement can occur unaffected by a secondary task.

Attention↗
PubMed1983

Searching short-term memory for linear-positioning movements.

To determine whether memory search for movements was serial or parallel, the search processes involved in a short-term motor-memory paradigm were investigated. A linear-positioning task was used to present a series of 1, 2, or 3 movements in a memory set. Upon completion of a memory set, subjects were presented with a search movement. The search movement was either the same length as one of the memory-set movements ("yes" response) or a different length ("no" response). Four subjects completed three consecutive days of testing. On Day 1 RT and movement length were practiced. On Day 2 the subjects were required to search a memory set of movements and respond in the yes condition by lifting the index finger of the left hand. This movement terminated a RT search clock. The same procedures were followed on Day 3, except that a no response was indicated by lifting the index finger. A 2 X 3 X 3 (response X memory set X RT trials) within-subjects analysis yielded nonsignificant main effects and interactions. The results were discussed in relation to verbal memory.

Humans↗