| INVESTIGATING VARIABILITY LEVELS IN PERSONALIZED MOTOR LEARNING: AN ECOLOGICAL DYNAMICS APPROACH |
| Paper ID : 1546-SPORTCONGRESS (R1) |
| Authors |
|
Hadiseh Jahantigh *1, sara bagheri2 1University 2Farhangian University, Nasibeh Campus, Tehran – Assistant Professor of Motor Behavior |
| Abstract |
| Introduction: From an ecological dynamics perspective, motor learning emerges through the dynamic interplay of individual learner characteristics, task constraints, and environmental variability, promoting adaptive, transferable skills in fluctuating real-world contexts. Methods: This systematic review examined practice variability levels in personalized motor skill acquisition by analyzing peer-reviewed articles published between 2020 and 2025. Variable practice loads were manipulated according to learners' initial performance and intrinsic variability. Practice variability encompasses diversity in execution parameters or environmental conditions during skill rehearsal. Databases searched included SCIE, SSCI, PubMed, Medline, and Scopus, using keywords: "practice variability," "contextual interference," and "implicit interference." An initial yield of 70 studies underwent a two-stage screening—title/abstract review followed by full-text assessment—based on predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria, resulting in 30 eligible studies. Data extraction focused on themes, methodologies, and outcomes, followed by qualitative synthesis via thematic analysis to identify emerging trends, instructional implications, and research gaps. Iterative coding, thorough categorization, and meticulous integration ensured comprehensive representation of advances in variable practice for motor learning. Findings: Variable practice conferred no superior benefits over constant practice once performance stabilized; however, effects were moderated by learners' baseline variability. Distinct variable practice loads elicited differential performance gains, facilitating memory consolidation and skill stabilization. These results highlight the intricate interplay among individual differences, practice structure, and variability magnitude in motor skill acquisition. Conclusion: Anchored in ecological dynamics, variable practice stands as a pivotal strategy for developing resilient, contextually attuned motor skills that excel under ecological perturbations, surpassing outcomes in contrived environments. Its impact, contingent on learner variability and instructor proficiency, necessitates a shift toward individualized, variability-enriched regimens to enhance transfer and retention. Future investigations must empirically evaluate multilayered variability in ecologically valid tasks, targeting longitudinal outcomes and performer-environment coupling to advance evidence-based pedagogical models |
| Keywords |
| : practice variability, ecological dynamics, motor skill transfer, memory consolidation |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |
