A VISUAL MODEL AND KNOWLEDGE OF PERFORMANCE AS SOURCES OF INFORMATIONFOR LEARNING A RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS SKILL

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.