Informational (error-estimation) account of self-controlled feedback benefits

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 10 claims (6 for, 4 mixed) · 2 studies (2 causal), q3 · 1 of 2 report an effect size · 10 claims rest on one study

Description

The article contrasts two explanations for why self-controlled knowledge of results (KR) aids motor learning. The motivational explanation says self-control "satisfies the basic psychological needs of autonomy and competence"; the information processing perspective says benefits are driven by "performance-dependent KR strategies". The authors conclude that error estimation, available when the KR decision follows the movement, is the more critical mechanism.

Design Implications

Context

Requirements

• The article states the learner must be able to base the KR decision on the performance just completed: self-controlled learning benefits "depend on the option of making the KR decision after completing one’s motor response".

Constraints

• The study collected no autonomy or motivation measure regarding choice over the KR schedule, so the motivational side was assumed rather than measured.
• The authors state that an immediate retention test would be required to assess offline learning, so the consolidation explanation is offered as initial support only.

Target Learners

• Young adult volunteers learning a novel motor skill (university sample in this study)

Target Learning Objectives

• Retention and transfer of a motor skill
• Accurate error detection and correction (estimating one’s own movement outcome)

Claims

• Self Controlled Kr Decided After Trial Improves Motor Retention [+M]
• Self Controlled Kr Decided After Trial Improves Motor Transfer [+M]
• Self Controlled Kr Decided Before Trial Shows No Benefit Over Yoked [+M]
• Self Controlled Kr Decided After Trial Improves Error Estimation Accuracy [+M]
• Self Both Kr Decision Shows No Additive Motivational Informational Benefit [~M]
• Self Controlled Learners Do Not Show Lower Error On Requested Kr Trials [~M]
• On a motor transfer test, self-controlled knowledge-of-results groups estimated their outcomes more accurately than yoked groups, and among self-controlled groups Self-After and Self-Both were more accurate than Self-Before. [+W]
• Learners allowed to make a knowledge-of-results decision before a trial and revise it after (Self-Both) mostly kept their original choice but sometimes changed it after seeing their own performance. [~W]
• During motor practice with knowledge of results, all groups reduced absolute error across blocks, and groups whose KR decision fell after the trial were more accurate during practice than groups whose decision fell before it, independent of choice. [~W]
• Learners' self-assessments of response correctness are imperfect, with asymmetric error rates for incorrect and correct responses [+W]

Related Theories

• Self Determination Theory

Examples

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Key Sources

• Carter, M. J., Carlsen, A. N., & Ste-Marie, D. M. (2014). Self-controlled feedback is effective if it is based on the learner’s performance: a replication and extension of Chiviacowsky and Wulf (2005). Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1325. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2014.01325

Page metadata

Field	Value
type	theory
title	Informational (error-estimation) account of self-controlled feedback benefits
description	The article contrasts two explanations for why self-controlled knowledge of results (KR) aids motor learning.
status	review
canonical	True
generated	by claude/unspecified on 2026-09-24
trust	unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content
sources	1 — carter-2014

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