The document discusses information processing and its impact on motor skill learning and performance. It explains that the central nervous system processes both external and internal information. The brain has limited resources and can only process a few tasks at a time without degradation of performance. Memory, attention, and intention are key elements of the information processing that underlies motor learning. Attention involves both conscious and subconscious allocation of mental resources and can be directed internally or externally. Placing attention externally generally facilitates motor skill learning and performance more than internal attention. Techniques like using cues, focusing on key components, and addressing stress/anxiety can help improve attention and information processing. Intention serves to direct attention and effort during learning and influences the physiological effects of practice.

1. Information Processing &
Motor Skill Performance

2. The purpose of this chapter is to describe the mental attributes and
behavioural elements necessary to maximize the learning and
performance of motor skills. Specifically, this chapter focuses on
memory, attention and intention as the fundamental elements of
learning that must be a part of any successful training or practice
situation.

3. Explain information processing and multiple
resource theory and their impact on learning and
performance.

4. The job of our central nervous
system (CNS) is to process
information. Information arrives
from sources external to the body
and internal to the body, and some
is already contained within our
own CNS. Everything we see, hear,
taste, touch and smell provides
information.

5. Physiological
Processes
Visceroreceptors
Somatoreceptors
CNSINFORMATION

6. CNS
Stored
Information
Memories
Plans
Processes
Identification
Interpretation
Filtering
ACTED
UPON

7. BRAIN
ACTIONS
Reasoning
Monitoring Storing
Retrieving
Running the
physiological process
of our body
Placing emotional and
rational behaviours
Communicating and
making decisions

8. MULTIPLE RESOURCE THEORY
Model of our brain’s information processing and then two information
processing resources, Memory and Attention.
prominent factor in the application
of motor learning principles.

9. MULTIPLE RESOURCE THEORY
• posits that we have a variety of processing resources.
Nevertheless, the theory adequately describes that our brain has
the capability to process different types and amounts of
information, though there is redundancy in the system.
• All of these resources have limited but flexible capacities.
Sometimes the resource capacities can be expanded and are often
times shrunk.
factors such as arousal, fatigue, motivation, and
health can alter the capacity.

10. The reason for processing
degradation is because information
tend to be handled by our brain in a
serial processing manner (one
after another) rather than in a
parallel processing manner (side
by side simultaneous processing).

11. When simultaneous information needs
to be processed, it gets jammed up in a
bottleneck (Welford,1952), waiting for
one task after another to be processed.
When two tasks arrive simultaneously
or closely spaced, one tasks needs to
delay while the other is being carried out.
This delay to get the second task is called
the Psychological Refractory Period
(PRP).
Information

12. Take note that:
Information processing is typically
degraded if two or more tasks require
the same or similar resource. However,
capacities can be taxed easily while doing
multiple tasks.

13. SCHEMATIC OF MULTIPLE RESOURCE THEORY
Perception Cognition Responding
- Visual
- Auditory
- Proprioception
- Spatial
- Verbal
- Manual
- Vocal
Modalities/
Sensory input
Types of
Processing Responses
The examples given in each dimension require different resources; for example,
manual responses are processed different from vocal responses. The illustration
implies that processing dimensions interfere with one another to different
amounts.
StagesofProcessing

15. Tasks Processing
Outcome
Performance
Low resource
demands
High resource
demands
Poor Outcome
of
Performance

16. Take note that:
more tasks, and tasks that use similar and
interacting resources, will experience
more degradation as revealed by poor
outcomes. Multiple task processing
tends to get bottlenecked, causing only
one task to be processed at a time. Note
that any time dual tasks are processed
performance will worsen (wavy lines).

17. Information processing is defined as
the essential job of the CNS. The brain,
however, is limited in its ability to
process a lot of information or
simultaneously process multiple types
of information. Though the brain has
multiple processing resources, when
faced with multiple demands, the ability
to process information diminishes.
Therefore, it results to slow and
inaccurate processing and decision
making.

18. Explain motor memory and how to use various
techniques to improve motor memory.

19. Memory is a cognitive processing function
that people tend to associate with facts
and figures, and not motor skills.
The simple ability to recall and repeat
large numbers of motor skills over and
over again after long time periods
indicates that we have a large capacity to
remember motor skills we have learned,
that is Motor Memory.

20. Certainly, it is implied that a motor skill
learned is a motor skill remembered.
But motor and non-motor memory
also play a critical role during the
motor skill learning process and
during high level performance.

21. MEMORY
Working Memory
Long-term
Memory
Temporary use and
storage system for
information
Permanent repository
of information

22. Strategies for Improving and
Facilitating Motor Memory
• Movement Characteristics
• Remembering Strategies
• Characteristics of Practice

23. MOVEMENT
CHARACTERISTICS
These are certain features or attributes
of a movement that influence one’s
ability to remember that movement.

24. REMEMBERING
STRATEGIES
Considered as vital to the long-term
retention and learning of motor
skills and should be incorporated
insofar as feasible into the practice
environment.

25. MEMORY
STRATEGIES
1. Repetition
may result in memory storage of not only the
refined movement but also the mechanisms
by with the movement was refined and
adapted.
2. Meaningfulness and Understanding
the learner understands how and why the skill
needs to be done.
3. Self-control
if learners have a say in their own
learning, it is likely that practice is
more meaningful. 4. Mastery and Intention to Remember
movements are best remembered when
willful effort is given to try and remember.

26. CHARACTERISTICS OF PRACTICE
refers to what is learned during practice in
comparison to what one is being tested on. In a
broader context, this refers to the specificity of
learning or practice principles.
memory and learning is specific to what was practiced, particularly in regard to
the type and amount of sensory information.

27. Memory is an important resource that
factors into high-level performance and
is one cognitive processing resource
with clearly identifiable strategies for
improvement. One of the memory
strategies is to make movements
meaningful, which also plays a role in
attention.

28. Explain attention, focus, and related concepts
and how these concepts contribute to the
learning and performance of motor skills.

29. Example:
Mental math and daydreaming both place attention
on mental processes.
Attention is the mental process of
concentrating on specific things, that is, an
exclusive allocation of processing resources.
Attention can be placed on the external
environment, on the internal bodily
environment or on mental processes
themselves.
• Conscious
• Subconscious action

30. ATTENTION
Conscious (explicit act)
the individual is aware of where
attention is being placed.
Subconscious (implicit act)
the individual cannot identify when
or when attention is being placed.
In reality, our sensory systems are never turned off, and the brain monitors
sensory information and prioritizes this information even if we are not
consciously monitoring these inputs.

31. Placing attention on
something purposeful and
specific is called Selective
Attention.
• Spatial
• Temporal
SPATIAL ATTENTION
is placed on objects to identify
and gather information from their
spatial location.
TEMPORAL ATTENTION
is attention placed toward
anticipation of upcoming events
or the monitoring of information
occurring over time.

32. Correa at al. stated that the ability to
place attention on a proper point in
time or the proper point in space is an
essential anticipation skill that serves to
reduce uncertainty and enable faster
and more accurate reactions.

33. FOCUS OF
ATTENTION
Refers to the quality of our
concentration on a stimuli or on going
situation. With a poor focus of attention,
our minds may drift to irrelevant
information, thereby allocating
information processing resources away
from what is necessary.

34. Stage I
incision
Stage IV
wound dressing
Stage II
baby removal
Stage III
wound closing
20
18
16
14
12
10
Novice
Experienced
Frequencyofattentionalswitches

35. Broad versus Narrow and Internal versus External Attention
The direction of our attention has been broadly categorized on a two-
dimensional scale of view (internal versus external) and width (broad
versus narrow).
External
Internal
BroadNarrow
External Focus Awareness
Internal Focus Concepts and Strategies
• Movement goal / outcome
• Environmental obstacle
• Court sense
• Environmental Awareness
• Decision making
• Systematic problem solving
• Mental imagery
• Physiological processes
• Analysis and planning
• “Big picture” goals and analysis
• Physiological body scanning

36. EXTERNAL VS INTERNAL PLACING OF ATTENTION
Gabriele Wulf and her colleagues (2010) have shown that motor skills across the
spectrum are learned and performed better when attention is placed
EXTERNALLY. It is believed that focusing on a specific movement outcome
simplifies the brain’s movement planning and essentially enables the brain to
organize the most effective solution to the movement problem.
(Beilock et al., 2002), stated that there may be exceptions, such as interaction
between learner expertise and the type of motor skill. In particular, it may be
beneficial for new learners to periodically focus INTERNALLY on movement
dynamics to establish a fundamental movement pattern or “movement
approximation”. (Peh et al., 2011)

37. Attention control is arguably most important way
to regulate resource use and may be the best first
strategy to use to improve the information
processing aspects of motor skill performance.
Knowing where to place attention, the quality of
attention, and the ability to switch attention
dictates the amount and type of information being
received by the CNS. Though individuals may have
innate traits that give rise to a particular attention
style, individual must adopt attention styles to
meet situational needs.

38. Explain the techniques to improve attention skills and how to use
these and other techniques to improve information processing
accuracy and speed, overcome mental barriers like anxiety, and
overall improve motor skill performance.

39. Explicit and Implicit Learning of Attention Skills
Attention skills are generally not explicitly taught but are learned both
explicitly and implicitly.
Keep your eyes on the ball Anticipate how fast the serve
ATTENTION SKILLS
EXPLICIT IMPLICIT
Attention switching and selective attention are often learned through a trial and
error approach. Over time and trials, learners figure out which cues are important
and should be attended to, and which cues are irrelevant and should be
ignored, particularly depending on the situation.

40. Using Attention as an Instructional Technique
Initiation demand Attention
by placing attention on the initiation of
movement, the whole movement may be
better influenced.
Prioritizing Movement
Components
movements can be broken down and
separated into parts. Some parts may
require more attention because of their
complexity or importance to the overall
movement.
Focusing on External Cues
focusing on external cues rather than
internal cues appears to facilitate
performance and learning

41. Information Processing, Stress, Arousal and Anxiety
Information processing is highly susceptible to both internal
and external influences. Among the most common disruptors
of effective information processing is poorly managed stress
and competitive anxiety.

42. STRESS
too much stress may lead to
distracting negative or irrelevant
thoughts, and may further contribute
to anxiety and nervousness.
AROUSAL
in practice, arousal is evaluated by physiological measurements
such as heart rate, blood pressure and sweating. The arousal
level, before and during motor performance, affects movement
quality and movement preparation time.
ANXIETY
the emotional or cognitive sense of
worry.

43. Stress, anxiety, and arousal should not be
confused. Under high states of stress, the body and
mind may become high aroused, such as during a
fight or flight response. Stress may be accompanied
by arousal of systems that can impede motor skill
performance. Overcoming these negative
influences begins with changing attention to
positive and meaningful factors, such as the task
goal.

44. Explain the widespread influence played by mental intention in
information processing, learning, motor skill performance, and
physiological adaptations to practice and training.

45. ATTENTION AND INTENTION
Underlying attention control is intention. Without the proper intention,
our selective and focused attention are uncertain, and our ability to
maximize mental and physical effort is limited. Intention serves to filter
the incoming information and provides purpose to outgoing
commands.
Intention not only modifies attention and
effort but in doing so directly influences
the nature of physiological performance
and physiological adaptations arising
from training and practice.