Rezvan Azimi; Behrouz Abdoli; Mohammad Ali Sanjari; Reza Khosrowabadi
Abstract
Introduction: Many studies evaluate the interaction between cognition and posture but the effect of cognitive task difficulty and articulation on postural control remains inconclusive. The purpose of the present study was to examine the interaction effect of cognitive task difficulty and articulation ...
Read More
Introduction: Many studies evaluate the interaction between cognition and posture but the effect of cognitive task difficulty and articulation on postural control remains inconclusive. The purpose of the present study was to examine the interaction effect of cognitive task difficulty and articulation on postural control.Methods: Twenty healthy young volunteers (Mean age 22 ± 2.3 years) performed four random conditions while standing on a force platform. Conditions involved combinations of two level of cognitive task difficulty (easy and difficult cognitivetask) and two level of verbal response (simultaneous and final).Results: Two-way ANOVA (significant level P<0.05) results demonstrated marked increased in the standard deviation and area of 95% confidence ellipse of the center of pressure in the difficult cognitive task condition with simultaneous verbalresponse. (P<0.05). Also, in the final response condition, difficult cognitive task reduced area of 95% confidence ellipse.Conclusion: According to the results of the present research, it seems that the difficult cognitive task requires a greater part of attention capacity; subsequently,attention is withdrawn from the postural task and automatic control regulates posture more efficiently through unconscious, fast, and reflexive processes. Also, postural control is simultaneously affected by the difficulty of cognitive task and articulation.Therefore, for designing appropriate interventions, it seems necessary to pay attention to the interactive effects of the difficulty and articulation of cognitive task.
Maryam Kavyani; Behrouz Abdoli; Reza Ebrahimi
Abstract
The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cognitive empowerment on working memory and observational learning of dart throwing skill in children. 40 students aged between 10 and 11 were selected by convenience sampling method. In the first phase, cognitive empowerment was performed and ...
Read More
The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of cognitive empowerment on working memory and observational learning of dart throwing skill in children. 40 students aged between 10 and 11 were selected by convenience sampling method. In the first phase, cognitive empowerment was performed and in the second phase observational learning of dart throwing skill was performed. In the first phase, the cognitive pretest was performed and the subjects were divided into two homogenies groups (each group 20 subjects): cognitive practice and no cognitive practice based on their age and pretest scores. The cognitive group received 8 sessions (45 minutes per session) of cognitive empowerment practice. Then, both groups received cognitive posttest. The cognitive tests were performed using Corsiblack (working memory) software. In the second phase of the study, each of the first phase groups were divided into 2 groups (10 subjects each group): observational + physical and physical. After dart throwing pretest, dart throwing was practiced in the form of observational and physical (3 sections of 20 throwing). The observational + physical group watched the skilled model of dart throwing through video in addition to dart throwing. Then, posttest was performed at the end of the second phase. Analysis of variance with repeated measures of 2 * 3 and 4 * 2 was used. The results showed that the working memory of cognitive group was significantly better than non-cognitive group. The cognitive + observational + physical group performed significantly better in the dart posttest than the other groups. It seems that cognitive empowerment can facilitate learning trough observation.
Behrouz Abdoli; Alireza Farsi; Masoud Ariafar
Abstract
Motor and field characteristic change is called variability of practice that the learner experiences during skill practice. This study was designed to compare the effect of variability of practice on the basketball free-throw learning in implicit and explicit conditions. For this purpose, 40 male ...
Read More
Motor and field characteristic change is called variability of practice that the learner experiences during skill practice. This study was designed to compare the effect of variability of practice on the basketball free-throw learning in implicit and explicit conditions. For this purpose, 40 male (20-27 years old) Shahid Beheshti University students were voluntarily selected and were randomly divided into four groups: implicit learning with variable practice, implicit learning with constant practice, explicit learning with variable practice and explicit learning with constant practice after a pretest. Variable practice groups performed 45 throws from 1.5, 3 and 4 meters distances from the target while constant practice groups had these throws from 3 meters distance each session for 6 days. Implicit learning groups performed a secondary task of counting from 1000 in a reverse order for every triad number along with the free-throw task. But the explicit learning groups performed the free-throw task without a secondary task. The acquisition, retention (48 hours after the last acquisition phase) and transfer (from a 4.6 meters distance) tests were conducted. For data analysis, analysis of variance with repeated measures, two-way ANOVA and Tukey post hoc test were used (P<0.05). The results showed that all groups improved in the acquisition phase (P>0.001) while the main effect of learning and practice was not significant (P>0.05). In addition, in the retention and transfer phases, the main effect of learning type, practice type and the interaction between practice and learning was not significant (P>0.05). Therefore, the results of the present study disagreed with Schmidt's schema theory.