Reproduction of Seen Actions: Stimulus-Selective Learning

Subjects observed and reproduced abstract, irregular stimulus models generated by the steady movement of a disk across two-dimensional paths. The paths comprised 3 to 7 randomly oriented linear segments linked head-to-foot. Reproductions were expressed by moving a stylus over the surface of a graphics tablet while the disk was tracing its trajectory (concurrent reproduction), or soon after the disk had finished (delayed reproduction). For both concurrent and delayed conditions, fidelity of reproduction fell with increasing number of segments in the model. Overall quality of reproduction did not differ between the two conditions. When a few models were repeated, interspersed among non-repeated ones, performance improved but only when reproduction was delayed. This improvement was stimulus-selective, not a general improvement with practice. Two additional experiments showed that (i) memory for a seen model is well preserved for at least 6 s, with relatively modest need for rehearsal, and (ii) successful reproduction is possible with remarkably little information having been extracted from key points in the model's trajectory.

[1]  P. Viviani,et al.  Biological movements look uniform: evidence of motor-perceptual interactions. , 1992, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[2]  Stefan Schaal,et al.  Is imitation learning the route to humanoid robots? , 1999, Trends in Cognitive Sciences.

[3]  Hiroshi Imamizu,et al.  Human cerebellar activity reflecting an acquired internal model of a new tool , 2000, Nature.

[4]  J. Adams.  Historical review and appraisal of research on the learning, retention, and transfer of human motor skills. , 1987 .

[5]  M A Goodale,et al.  Visuomotor control: Where does vision end and action begin? , 1998, Current Biology.

[6]  David J. Burr,et al.  Elastic Matching of Line Drawings , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Pattern Analysis and Machine Intelligence.

[7]  Justin T. Maxwell,et al.  From novice to no know-how: A longitudinal study of implicit motor learning , 2000, Journal of sports sciences.

[8]  R. Sekuler,et al.  A specific and enduring improvement in visual motion discrimination. , 1982, Science.

[9]  M. Matarić,et al.  Fixation behavior in observation and imitation of human movement. , 1998, Brain research. Cognitive brain research.

[10]  Chad J. Marsolek,et al.  Perceptual-motor sequence learning of general regularities and specific sequences , 1999 .

[11]  R. Bajcsy,et al.  A computerized system for the elastic matching of deformed radiographic images to idealized atlas images. , 1983, Journal of computer assisted tomography.

[12]  A. Karni,et al.  Learning perceptual skills: behavioral probes into adult cortical plasticity , 1997, Current Opinion in Neurobiology.

[13]  D. Weeks,et al.  A comparison of imitation strategies in observational learning of action patterns. , 1996, Journal of motor behavior.

[14]  D. J. Burr,et al.  Matching Elastic Templates , 1983 .

[15]  D Jancke,et al.  Orientation Formed by a Spot's Trajectory: A Two-Dimensional Population Approach in Primary Visual Cortex , 2000, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[16]  R. H. Day,et al.  Absence of color-selectivity in Duncker-type induced visual movement , 1977 .

[17]  L. Carmichael,et al.  An experimental study of the effect of language on the reproduction of visually perceived form. , 1932 .

[18]  M. Chun,et al.  Top-Down Attentional Guidance Based on Implicit Learning of Visual Covariation , 1999 .

[19]  Michael F. Land,et al.  From eye movements to actions: how batsmen hit the ball , 2000, Nature Neuroscience.

[20]  U. Bellugi,et al.  Perception of American sign language in dynamic point-light displays. , 1981, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[21]  P. Viviani,et al.  The effect of movement velocity on form perception: Geometric illusions in dynamic displays , 1989, Perception & psychophysics.

[22]  G Sperling,et al.  Intelligent temporal subsampling of American Sign Language using event boundaries. , 1990, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[23]  R. Blake,et al.  Memory for visual motion. , 1997, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[24]  J. Decety,et al.  The effects of learning and intention on the neural network involved in the perception of meaningless actions. , 1999, Brain : a journal of neurology.

[25]  Jeffrey M. Zacks,et al.  Human brain activity time-locked to perceptual event boundaries , 2001, Nature Neuroscience.

[26]  Andrew C. Sleigh,et al.  Physical and Biological Processing of Images , 1983 .

[27]  R. Sekuler,et al.  Representational Development of Direction in Motion Perception: A Fragile Process , 1993, Perception.

[28]  R Sekuler,et al.  How the Visual System Detects Changes in the Direction of Moving Targets , 1990, Perception.

[29]  O. Andreassen,et al.  Mice Deficient in Cellular Glutathione Peroxidase Show Increased Vulnerability to Malonate, 3-Nitropropionic Acid, and 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,5,6-Tetrahydropyridine , 2000, The Journal of Neuroscience.

[30]  J E Field,et al.  Perceptual-motor sequence learning of general regularities and specific sequences. , 1999, Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance.

[31]  J. F. Brown,et al.  The Path of Seen Movement as a Function of the Vector-Field , 1937 .