For motor learning tasks, analogies are usually given as a single biomechanical metaphor. This study demonstrates how analogies can influence motor kinematics and task outcome.

Zacks O, Friedman J. Analogies can speed up the motor learning process. Sci Rep. 2020 Apr 24;10(1):6932. doi: 10.1038/s41598-020-63999-1. PMID: 32332826; PMCID: PMC7181737.

KEY POINTS: ANALOGIES & MOTOR LEARNING

• The type of instruction given is important for motor learning.
• Different aspects of movement are affected differently by different instructional styles.

"Analogies in the case of motor learning combine various task-relevant rules into a single biomechanical metaphor, usually given to the learner as a verbal instruction."

• Explicit instructions lead to smoother training for movement.
• Instructions given as a verbal analogy can support smoother movement training when movement tasks are slowed down.
• Analogies may help for motor skills that are otherwise hard...

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Exploring to Learn and Learning to Explore

Hacques, Guillaume et al. “Exploring to learn and learning to explore.” Psychological research, 10.1007/s00426-020-01352-x. 10 May. 2020, doi:10.1007/s00426-020-01352-x

This review focuses on the contributions made by exploratory behaviors to skilled perception and action. 

Key Points

• Exploratory activities are those that generate information about the association between environmental factors and action capabilities.
• Exploration describes the active process by which individuals disclose information during control of action.
• In ecological psychology, information resides as patterns in ambient arrays (mechanical, acoustic, and optical).
  • These ambient arrays...