Motor learning in children: Effects of the self-controlled frequency of knowledge of results

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of the frequency of knowledge of results (KR) controlled by the experimenter with frequencies self-controlled by the subjects, in the learning of a sequential timing task in children. The self-controlled group (self) received KR when requested while the other group (yoked) received KR equated, subject-to-subject, to the self group, without any control whatsoever over the KR schedule. Contrary to the results with adults, the yoked group showed better learning results than the self group. A questionnaire revealed that the subjects from both groups preferred in their majority, to request/receive KR after “good” instead of “bad” trials. However, an analysis comparing the errors in the trials with and without KR did not demonstrate significant differences, which shows that the children are not as effective as the adults in discriminating between “good” and “bad” trials, which may cancel the beneficiary effects of the self-controlled schedule. The results demonstrate that different factors, in this case the level of development, may influence the effects of the studied variable.