MIRROR TRACIN…

Mirror Tracing – Transfer of Training

Kerwin Misael B. Hipolito

Our Lady of Fatima University

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Abstract

Transfer of training involves the improvement of an unlearned task through practice that manifests

itself out through the actual performance. The experiment conducted made use of a motor task

involving mirror tracing to determine the extent of transfer on the unskilled hand after the

involvement of training on the skilled hand as well as determining the possible contributors to the

effects of transfer within the experiment. Results showed that there is an improvement after

practice in terms of speed of completion; however, there is no improvement on the accuracy of the

performed task. This result could be attributed to an individual’s preference in finishing the motor

task being performed.

Keywords: transfer of training, intermanual transfer, autonomous phase, individual

preference

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Mirror Tracing – Transfer of Training

The fields of psychology and neuroscience are still mystified by the ability of the nervous

system to transfer learned information from one context to another (Schaefer & Lang, 2012). The

term transfer was originally described as the extent of influence of an initially learned response to

a task or situation unto another succeeding task or situation (Kasim & Ali, 2011).

In a study conducted by Nazli, Sipon, Zumrah, and Abdullah (2014) focused on the factors

contributing to transfer of training in a disaster preparation training program which is a drill given

to employees and workers to equip them with the proper knowledge, attitude, and skills towards a

disaster in the workplace. Furthermore, process of training is found out to be greatly influenced by

self – efficacy, motivation to learn and to transfer as well as cognitive ability, trainees with higher

self – efficacy showed that they are more likely to exhibit the training unto the actual job

performance.

However, the researcher conducted an experiment that involves the training and transfer of

unlearned motor tasks and in this context the effect of intermanual transfer is involved. In an

experiment conducted by Romkema, Bongers, & van der Sluis (2015), concerning the possibility

of intermanual transfer within the contralateral arm after training with a prosthesis simulator on

one arm involving 5 – year old children wherein intermanual transfer is defined as the training of

unlearned motor task on one side of the body positively influence the performance of the motor

task on the other side. The study showed that an intermanual transfer effect occurred on the

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prosthetic handling performed by the children after training. Prior to the training on one side, the

movement time greatly improved on the contralateral side which showed in the retention test.

The objective of this study is to determine the effect of practice in some skills on the

retention of some previously practiced activity as well as to observe the extent of influence on one

hand prior to the training of a motor task on the other hand and to discuss the possible factors

responsible for the transfer.

Method

Participants

The researcher is the subject of the experiment for reasons that are not to be necessarily

indicated within this paper.

Materials

The mirror tracing motor task involved in this experiment is borrowed from the book by

(citation) wherein the apparatus needed in the study are one (1) mirror that could cover the whole

of an individual’s face, a pen or a pencil, a six pointed star printed on a paper with a total of twenty

three (23) copies, and both hands (unskilled/non – dominant and skilled/dominant) without prior

experience with the mirror tracing task.

Procedure

The experiment began with the participant placing the mirror in front of the six pointed star

wherein the participant must only look at the mirror while tracing the figure on the paper. With the

preparations done, the participant shall alternate both skilled hand and unskilled hand in

performing 8 trials meaning there are 4 trials each. Afterwards, the skilled hand will perform 11

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trials consecutively and then followed by 4 trials with the unskilled hand with a total of 23 trials

all in all.

Results

The results of both unskilled hand improvement in terms of speed and accuracy were

analyzed through the interpretation of a graph.

Figure 1

1:26
U4 (1:18)
U2 (1:15)
U23 (1:10)
1:12 U6 (1:07)
U20 (1:03)
U21 (0:59) U8 (1:07)
0:57 U22 (1:01)

0:43 U2:U4:U6:U8
U20:U21:U22:U23

0:28

0:14

0:00
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4

Figure 1 shows both the time of the unskilled hand before (blue line) and after (red line)

training of the skilled hand wherein there is an observed difference between the speed of

completion. After training, the first three trials took lesser time to complete the task. This result is

supported by the study conducted by Sainburg and Wang (2002) showed an improved performance

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on a reaching task with the opposite hand after practicing with one hand either the preferred or

non–preferred hand (as cited in Teixeira, 2006).

Figure 2
25

U4 (21) U22 (21)

20
U20 (18)
U21 (19)

15
U2 (16) U6 (14) U23 (15)
U2:U4:U6:U8
U20:U21:U22:U23
10

U8 (7)
5

0
Trial 1 Trial 2 Trial 3 Trial 4

Figure 2 measures the accuracy or errors on both unskilled hand before (blue line) and after

(red line) training with the skilled hand. The figure shows that there has been no improvement in

terms of accuracy. This might be due to the participant preferring the speed of completion rather

than committing lesser errors. Some factors affecting training transfer are attributed to three main

causes which are individual, motivational, and environmental factors (Issurin, 2013).

Furthermore, to determine the improvement of the unskilled hand in terms of time, the

median time of trials 21 (59s), 22 (1:01s), and 23 (1:10s) are divided by the median time of trials

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4 (1:18s), 6 (1:07s), and 8 (1:07s). Following the prior equation, 61s ÷ 67s = 0.91s depicting the

improvement in speed of the unskilled hand before and after training. The same is to be done with

the skilled hand wherein median time of trials 17 (47s), 18 (43s), and 19 (48s) are divided by the

median time of trials 3 (1:14s), 5 (1:02s), and 7 (59s). Which is 47s ÷ 62s = 0.76s showing the

improvement in speed of the skilled hand before and after practice.

Discussion

The objective of the conducted experiment is focused on determining the extent of transfer

on the unskilled hand after training of a novel task involving the skilled hand. The results showed

that there is a slight increase in speed of the unskilled hand after practice of the skilled hand

however accuracy has not improved. It might be attributed to the participant’s preference of speed

of completion rather than improving accuracy. To additionally explain the transfer of training that

occurred, we can include the phases of skill learning model stated by Fitts & Posner (1967)

describing the acquisition of complex skills through the process of three phases: an early cognitive

phase, an intermediate associative phase, and a final autonomous phase wherein performing new

tasks without prior experience involves a higher level of attention. However, when the process

becomes autonomous the task would require less attention that is a result of the prior training that

occurred (as cited in Schaefer & Lang, 2012).

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REFERENCES

Issurin, V. B. (2013). Training Transfer: Scientific Background and Insights for Practical

Application. Sports Medicine, 43(8), 675–694. doi:10.1007/s40279-013-0049-6

Kasim, R. S. R., Ali, S. (2011). The Influence of Training Design on Training Transfer

Performance among Support Staff of Higher Education Institution in Malaysia.

http://ijimt.org/papers/162-M619.pdf

Nazli, N. N. N. N., Sipon, S., Zumrah, A. R., & Abdullah, S. (2015). The Factors that Influence

the Transfer of Training in Disaster Preparedness Training: A Review. Procedia - Social

and Behavioral Sciences, 192, 54–58. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2015.06.008

Romkema, S., Bongers, R. M., & van der Sluis, C. K. (2015). Intermanual Transfer Effect in

Young Children After Training in a Complex Skill: Mechanistic, Pseudorandomized,

Pretest-Posttest Study. Physical Therapy, 95(5), 730–739.

https://doi.org/10.2522/ptj.20130490

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Schaefer, S., & Lang, C. (2012). Using Dual Tasks to Test Immediate Transfer of Training

Between Naturalistic Movements: A Proof-of-Principle Study. Journal of Motor

Behavior, 44(5), 313–327. https://doi.org/10.1080/00222895.2012.708367

Teixeira, L. (2006). Intermanual transfer of timing control between tasks holding different levels

of motor complexity, Laterality: Asymmetries of Body, Brain and Cognition, 11:1, 43-56,

DOI: 10.1080/13576500500281718