Ra. Magill et B. Schoenfelderzohdi, A VISUAL MODEL AND KNOWLEDGE OF PERFORMANCE AS SOURCES OF INFORMATIONFOR LEARNING A RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS SKILL, International journal of sport psychology, 27(1), 1996, pp. 7-22
Visual demonstration and knowledge of performance (KP) were investigat
ed interactively by providing subjects with either an expert model dem
onstration or detailed vel bal instructions of a rhythmic gymnastics r
ope skill, and were given either KP or no KP. Female subjects (N = 48)
practiced for 54 trials on one day followed by 20 transfer trials on
the next day. The interactive influence on learning of the model and K
P was assessed in two ways. First, a performance score indicated how w
ell the skill was performed. Results based on this measure showed that
the combination of observing a model and receiving KP provided no add
itional advantage over either observing a model and not receiving KP o
r receiving KP and not observing a model. Second the type of KP inform
ation required was assessed for subjects in the model and no model con
ditions who received KP. Results of this assessment revealed that subj
ects who observed the model needed less KP about body and limb coordin
ation features of the skill than subjects who did not observe the mode
l, but needed more KP about characteristics of handling the rope. The
results of this experiment support the hypothesis that observing a mod
el provides information that facilitates the development of appropriat
e coordination patterns required to perform a complex motor skill.