Research
Current Studies
"We lost the hamster." - Our epic motor skill learning study rebooted
Description:This study investigates how people acquire new motor skills and how performance on motor tasks can change with practice. Participants are required to perform a motor sequence task by pressing keys on a keyboard in response to visual stimuli presented on a computer screen. Participants must also complete a sleep questionnaire at the start of each session in order to assess levels of alertness.
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria: Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, be right-handed, and undergo a short screening questionnaire. Participants must also be free of neurological disorders, and have no history of concussions or serious head injury.
To participate or learn more, please contact Dilini Sumanapala at dilini.sumanapala@gmail.com
Going around in circles: Human sensorimotor synchronization
Description:This study investigates how people acquire new motor skills and how performance on motor tasks can change with practice. Participants are required to perform a motor sequence task by pressing keys on a keyboard in response to visual stimuli presented on a computer screen. Participants must also complete a sleep questionnaire at the start of each session in order to assess levels of alertness.
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria: We are looking for both non-musicians (fewer than 3 years of musical training, including voice and dance, and not currently practicing) and musicians (at least 3 years of music training and currently engaged in practice) who are right-handed, 18-35 years old, and in good neurological health.
To participate or learn more, please visit the Participant Pool website.
Past Studies
Human motor skill learning - Featuring "Rolly the Hamster!"
Description:This study investigates how people acquire new motor skills and how performance on motor tasks can change with practice. Participants are required to perform a motor sequence task by pressing keys on a keyboard in response to visual stimuli presented on a computer screen ("Rolly the Hamster"). Participants must also complete a sleep questionnaire at the start of each session in order to assess levels of alertness. They will also be asked to complete the Grooved Pegboard test (of motor dexterity) at the start of Session 1 (Day 1) and end of Session 6 (Day 6).
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria:Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 35, be right-handed, and undergo a short screening questionnaire. Participants must also be free of neurological disorders, and have no history of concussions or serious head injury.
Simon says: Test your motor imitation!
Description:The purpose of this study is to examine the ability to imitate manual gestures. Imitation, also known as observational learning, is one of the most effective ways that humans learn new behaviours. Yet, little is known about the factors that influence the development of the capacity to imitate. During the testing session, you will be asked to imitate a series of unfamiliar manual gestures presented on a computer screen. Your responses will be digitally videotaped (hands only) and scored by a rater who will be blind to your identity. All video files will be destroyed after coding. You will also be asked to complete several other tasks related to the ability to imitate.
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria:Right-handed, between the ages of 18-35.
Brain Waves in Motion
Description: The ultimate goal of this experiment is to improve our understanding of age differences in the way in which people learn to produce novel fine motor movement sequences. You will be asked to complete a questionnaire, and then you will be presented with some computer trials. Your task will simply be to follow a sequence that is presented to you on a screen and press the corresponding keys on a piano-type keyboard. Your movements will be recorded using a 3-D motion capture system. Also, with an electroencephalogram (EEG) we will be recording your brain waves during your performance of the task.
Inclusion/Exclusion criteria:We are looking for participants that are right handed, not color blind, between the ages of 18-35, have not had a serious injury to their hand/arm or head, have not had a stroke, do not have a medical illness and are not taking any medication that affects their movement.
