Novices risk practicing motor skills incorrectly with mental simulation, while experts benefit across task types¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2009 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Beginners at a motor task risk rehearsing the skill incorrectly and worsening performance, whereas novices generate stronger mental practice effects for cognitive than physical tasks and experienced subjects benefit equally for both. → Meer 2009

Evidence¶

Meer 2009¶

Meer, J.P. van & Theunissen, N.C.M. (2009). Prospective educational applications of mental simulation: A meta-review. Educational Psychology Review. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-009-9097-8

q2 · i? · review · r2

Synthesis of the consulted reviews (Hinshaw 1991; Murphy 1994; Suinn 1985, 1997), which accounts for findings in which MS did not improve or even worsened performance; Guillot & Collet found higher expertise yields more temporally accurate rehearsal.

"It is argued that beginners at a motor task are at a larger risk of practic ing a desired skill incorrectly, and thereby potentially worsening their performance instead of improving it"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Mental simulation practice improves performance relative to no practice, with reported effect sizes of 0.48 to 0.68 — related
• Mental simulation benefits cognitive tasks more than motor or strength tasks — related
• Evidence that domain-general perceptual-cognitive skills distinguish athletes is mixed; expertise appears domain-specific — related
• Whether a skill is open or closed does not have an established effect on mental simulation effectiveness — related