Action observation for the prediction of outcomes and learning of motor skills

当我们观察别人的动作时，我们对他们行为的理解有多少来自于我们自己的视觉运动经验？我们怎么能从观察别人的新动作中学习呢？在动作观察过程中，什么视觉信息支持任何运动系统的激活，反过来，这些信息的处理是如何受到我们自己的经验和潜在的我们暗中重现或模拟我们所看到的能力的影响的？这些一般性问题是本研究计划的基础。当我们观察别人的行为时，我们也会在隐蔽的层面上经历这个行为，这个观点已经得到了大量的关注和实证支持。然而，这种所谓的“模拟”假设在学习环境中很少被探索。此外，对于许多运动技能，如运动或手术，在这些需要预期决策的地方，关于支撑这些决策的过程以及驱动这些决策或被这些决策驱动的感知线索的问题仍然存在。我打算研究行动观察过程，因为它们与学习和预测他人的行动结果有关。我的建议的A部分是基于使用双任务方法来探测动作预测期间运动系统的参与。我将研究动作模拟是如何受到视觉线索拾取的影响。通过对训练类型的操作（向地板或墙壁上的目标投掷飞镖，或用重物投掷飞镖），我将确定促进模拟的条件，通用运动表征是如何的，以及人们在参与运动系统时的灵活性。一个奇怪的可能性是，当一个人对另一个人的行为做出预测时，他自己的运动系统更新了（有害的）。在B部分，我将使用一个适应方案来研究促进短期和长期适应的条件。通过对观察安排的操纵，我将研究观察在何时以及如何影响运动计划（隐性）更新方面的后期运动表现。我将使用一种相对新颖的技术（外周神经刺激）来研究与记忆巩固相关的过程是如何在保持间隔期间受到动作观察的影响的。这个研究项目将增加我们对我们的视觉运动经验如何影响动作观察过程的基本理解，特别是关于对他人行为的潜在模拟和控制这种情况的条件。这些知识将影响我们对如何获得运动技能的理解，我们如何有意无意地从观察中“学习”，以及如何做出预测性决策。这可能会对我们如何教授和评估技能以及我们当前的行为如何可能干扰我们正确评估他人行为的能力产生重大影响

When we watch others move, how much of our understanding of their behaviour comes about from our own visual-motor experiences? How are we able to learn from watching others perform novel actions? What visual information underpins any motor-system activation during action observation and in turn, how is the processing of this information influenced by our own experiences and potentially our ability to covertly re-enact or simulate what we see? These general questions underpin this research proposal. The idea that when we watch other's acting, we too run through the action at a covert level, is an idea that has received significant attention and empirical support. This so called `simulation' hypothesis has, however, been little explored in a learning context. Moreover, for many motor skills, such as playing sports or performing surgery, where anticipatory decisions are required, questions remain about the processes underpinning these decisions and the perceptual cues that drive or are driven by these. I plan to investigate action observation processes, as they pertain to learning and the prediction of other's action outcomes. Part A of my proposal is based on the use of dual-task methods to probe motor system engagement during action-prediction. I will study how action simulation is influenced by (or influences) visual cue pick-up. Through manipulations to the type of training (throwing darts to targets on the floor or wall, or with a weight), I will determine conditions which promote simulation, how general purpose motor-representations are, and how flexible people are in engaging their motor system. One curious possibility is that one's own motor system is updated (detrimentally) when making predictions about another's action. In Part B, I will use an adaptation protocol to study conditions which promote short- and long-term adaptation from observation. Through manipulations to the scheduling of observation I will study when and how observation impacts later motor performance with respect to (implicit) updating of motor plans. I will study how processes related to memory consolidation are affected by action-observation during the retention interval, using a relatively novel technique (peripheral nerve stimulation). This program of research will add to our basic understanding of how our visual-motor experiences impact processes of action-observation, specifically with respect to potential simulation of another's actions and the conditions which govern this. This knowledge will impact our understanding of how we acquire motor skills, how we intentionally and unintentionally `learn' from watching and how predictive decisions are made. This could have significant implications for how we teach and assess skills and how our current actions could potentially interfere with our ability to correctly assess another's behaviour.**