An attempt to distinguish between kinematic and motor memory components.

Abstract Against the background of a modality-specific representation, we suggest the existence, in addition to motor programs, of movement representations which represent items of kinematic information, i.e. movement vectors. We discuss the possible existence of such representations and their features, in the light of available theories and findings. We then report on two experiments designed to show by selective interference the partial dependence of movement representations and motor programs. The experiments, whose distraction tasks differed, yielded the same results. Recall of motor learning material is more strongly interfered with by a secondary motor task than recall of kinematic learning material. The secondary motor and kinematic tasks finding supports the theory that the two systems are partially independent. However, it has, as yet, only been possible to demonstrate a selective distraction for the secondary motor task; proof of a selectively effective secondary kinematic task is still to be attained.

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