The Perception & Action Podcast
525 – Variability of Practice & Education of Attention
Jan 28, 2025
Discover the intriguing link between variability in practice and the education of attention. Learn how adapting practice conditions can enhance decision-making in dynamic tasks, like driving and flying. Explore research findings that highlight the advantages of varied practice over constrained scenarios, improving skill transfer to real-world applications. The discussion dives into how effective practice environments can ultimately lead to better performance and safer actions in complex situations.
22:29
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Quick takeaways
- Introducing variability in practice conditions enhances perceptual motor skills by encouraging learners to focus on specifying variables over non-specifying ones.
- Coaches can optimize training by structuring practice to promote the transition toward effective information sources, improving skill acquisition and performance.
Deep dives
The Role of Variability in Learning
Introducing variability in practice conditions enhances the learning of perceptual motor skills by encouraging individuals to explore more effective information sources. Utilizing a practical example, a new driver must learn that while the distance of oncoming traffic is initially perceived as useful, it does not consistently lead to safe decision-making. Instead, the driver is better served by using the time remaining until the approaching vehicle arrives at the intersection, called tau, which provides a clearer understanding of when to turn. This shift signifies a transition from relying on less informative, non-specifying sources to focusing on more robust, specifying variables, which is central to the educational process of attention.
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