title: The Influence of Analogy Instructions on Motor Skills: Processing, Preference and Performance

authors: van Duijn, Tina

abstract: When teaching a movement to novices, communicating knowledge about the movement by comparison with a similar, well-known concept (an analogy) may be effective, as no other verbal instructions or rules need to be provided. The aim of this PhD thesis was to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms that influence motor performance after analogy instruction. This may help guide the development of appropriate and useful analogies in clinical and other practical settings. Five chapters discuss experiments conducted in early learning of complex motor skills. In order to investigate the mechanism of analogy learning in children, Chapter 2 investigated children’s acquisition of a golf-chipping task. We asked whether an analogy presented after initial, explicit practice has an influence on performance, and whether this effect is moderated by the propensity to consciously control the mechanics of one’s movements (movement specific reinvestment). Movement-specific reinvestment predicted improvement in chipping accuracy after introduction of the analogy, indicating that children’s motor learning by analogy may depend on personal characteristics associated with conscious control. 
A reliable and objective measure to deduct underlying conscious processes during movement is electroencephalography (EEG). Chapter 3 explored the relationship between working memory (WM) capacity, cortico-cortical communication (EEG high-alpha power and coherence), and propensity for conscious control of movement (movement specific reinvestment) during novice performance of a complex motor task. Results revealed that the capacity for short-term storage and processing of visuo-spatial information is an important factor in early motor control. 
Analogies allegedly reduce reliance on verbal information processes during motor planning, which is a feature of psychomotor efficiency. In Chapter 4, we investigated whether analogy instructions promote higher psychomotor efficiency, characterised by greater high-alpha power in the left hemisphere of the brain and reduced coactivation between the verbal processing (T7) and motor planning regions of the brain (Fz) during motor performance. Hockey push-pass accuracy during a combined task (passing coupled with decision-making) was significantly better following practice using an analogy instruction compared to explicit instructions, and left-temporal EEG high-alpha power was significantly higher in the analogy condition. The analogy instruction may have influenced verbal aspects of information processing without impacting on efficiency of motor planning, and may thus promote cognitive, rather than psychomotor, efficiency. 
Individual characteristics of information processing may have an influence on how analogy instructions are interpreted and used. Chapters 5 and 6 investigated the associations between analogy learning and verbal or visuomotor processing as measured by EEG coherence, visual-verbal instruction preference, and performance. While Chapter 5 tentatively suggests that analogy learning may be of greater benefit to people who tend to rely on visual processes during motor planning, Chapter 6 suggests that changes in information processing (measured by EEG high-alpha power) and in performance after analogy instruction, depended on verbal preference. The findings are discussed with respect to the implicit motor learning framework and theories of movement automaticity. The thesis is rounded off by suggesting future studies and providing some guidelines for the use of analogy instructions in different groups of learners.

text: The Influence of Analogy Instructions on Motor Skills: Processing, Preference and Performance When teaching a movement to novices, communicating knowledge about the movement by comparison with a similar, well-known concept (an analogy) may be effective, as no other verbal instructions or rules need to be provided. The aim of this PhD thesis was to investigate the potential underlying mechanisms that influence motor performance after analogy instruction. This may help guide the development of appropriate and useful analogies in clinical and other practical settings. Five chapters discuss experiments conducted in early learning of complex motor skills. In order to investigate the mechanism of analogy learning in children, Chapter 2 investigated children’s acquisition of a golf-chipping task. We asked whether an analogy presented after initial, explicit practice has an influence on performance, and whether this effect is moderated by the propensity to consciously control the mechanics of one’s movements (movement specific reinvestment). Movement-specific reinvestment predicted improvement in chipping accuracy after introduction of the analogy, indicating that children’s motor learning by analogy may depend on personal characteristics associated with conscious control. 
A reliable and objective measure to deduct underlying conscious processes during movement is electroencephalography (EEG). Chapter 3 explored the relationship between working memory (WM) capacity, cortico-cortical communication (EEG high-alpha power and coherence), and propensity for conscious control of movement (movement specific reinvestment) during novice performance of a complex motor task. Results revealed that the capacity for short-term storage and processing of visuo-spatial information is an important factor in early motor control. 
Analogies allegedly reduce reliance on verbal information processes during motor planning, which is a feature of psychomotor efficiency. In Chapter 4, we investigated whether analogy instructions promote higher psychomotor efficiency, characterised by greater high-alpha power in the left hemisphere of the brain and reduced coactivation between the verbal processing (T7) and motor planning regions of the brain (Fz) during motor performance. Hockey push-pass accuracy during a combined task (passing coupled with decision-making) was significantly better following practice using an analogy instruction compared to explicit instructions, and left-temporal EEG high-alpha power was significantly higher in the analogy condition. The analogy instruction may have influenced verbal aspects of information processing without impacting on efficiency of motor planning, and may thus promote cognitive, rather than psychomotor, efficiency. 
Individual characteristics of information processing may have an influence on how analogy instructions are interpreted and used. Chapters 5 and 6 investigated the associations between analogy learning and verbal or visuomotor processing as measured by EEG coherence, visual-verbal instruction preference, and performance. While Chapter 5 tentatively suggests that analogy learning may be of greater benefit to people who tend to rely on visual processes during motor planning, Chapter 6 suggests that changes in information processing (measured by EEG high-alpha power) and in performance after analogy instruction, depended on verbal preference. The findings are discussed with respect to the implicit motor learning framework and theories of movement automaticity. The thesis is rounded off by suggesting future studies and providing some guidelines for the use of analogy instructions in different groups of learners.

year: 2018

title: The hardness of the iconic must: Can Peirce’s existential graphs assist modal epistemology?

authors: Legg, Catherine

subjects: modal epistemology

abstract: The current of development in 20th century logic bypassed Peirce’s existential graphs, but recently much good work has been done by formal logicians excavating the graphs from Peirce’s manuscripts, regularizing them and demonstrating the soundness and completeness of the alpha and beta systems (e.g. Roberts 1973, Hammer 1998, Shin 2002). However, given that Peirce himself considered the graphs to be his ‘chef d’oeuvre’ in logic, and explored the distinction between icons, indices and symbols in detail within the context of a much larger theory of signs, much about the graphs arguably remains to be thought through from the perspective of philosophical logic. For instance, are the graphs always merely of heuristic value or can they convey an ‘essential icon’ (analogous to the now standardly accepted ‘essential indexical’)? This paper claims they can and do, and suggests important consequences follow from this for the epistemology of modality. It is boldly suggested that structural articulation, which is characteristic of icons alone, is the source of all necessity. In other words, recognizing a statement as necessarily true consists only in an unavoidable recognition that a structure has the particular structure that it in fact has. (What else could it consist in?)

text: The hardness of the iconic must: Can Peirce’s existential graphs assist modal epistemology? The current of development in 20th century logic bypassed Peirce’s existential graphs, but recently much good work has been done by formal logicians excavating the graphs from Peirce’s manuscripts, regularizing them and demonstrating the soundness and completeness of the alpha and beta systems (e.g. Roberts 1973, Hammer 1998, Shin 2002). However, given that Peirce himself considered the graphs to be his ‘chef d’oeuvre’ in logic, and explored the distinction between icons, indices and symbols in detail within the context of a much larger theory of signs, much about the graphs arguably remains to be thought through from the perspective of philosophical logic. For instance, are the graphs always merely of heuristic value or can they convey an ‘essential icon’ (analogous to the now standardly accepted ‘essential indexical’)? This paper claims they can and do, and suggests important consequences follow from this for the epistemology of modality. It is boldly suggested that structural articulation, which is characteristic of icons alone, is the source of all necessity. In other words, recognizing a statement as necessarily true consists only in an unavoidable recognition that a structure has the particular structure that it in fact has. (What else could it consist in?)

year: 2009-12

title: What works for midwives supporting māmā through emotional distress?

authors: Roia, Tiaan Mereana Manurangi

abstract: Pregnancy and the postnatal period are particularly vulnerable times for mothers’ mental health, with an increased risk of women experiencing depression and anxiety during this time. Therefore, understanding the level and type of service midwives provide to māmā who experience emotional distress is vital to know what midwives need in order to provide the right care to their clients.
The aim of this study was to find out what tools and resources community-based midwives find most helpful to support the needs of māmā. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, including four Māori midwives, who were able to provide insight on their experiences caring for mothers with mental health needs. Overall, the interviews reflected a strong sense of care and empathy from midwives during their time caring for mothers. Midwives appeared to rely on their interpersonal skills and intuition about emotional distress, and emphasised the importance of connecting with people and utilising support from their communities. Whilst midwives were interested and engaged with providing appropriate care to mothers, they were unbeknown to some of the clinical resources that could be available to their clients. The complexity of referrals and access to mental health services was central to the midwives’ frustration around caring for mothers, as well as a lack of education relating to kaupapa Māori, cultural competency, and mental health processes.
Recommendations based on this study are to provide midwives with education and training on topics like kaupapa Māori, on social and mental health resources and processes for referral to increase their ability to support and care for mothers who experience emotional distress. Improvements to the pathways for referrals and access to mental health services is essential. Future research should focus on understanding why midwives aren’t using a range of online apps and tools, and increase awareness of the available modes of support available.

text: What works for midwives supporting māmā through emotional distress? Pregnancy and the postnatal period are particularly vulnerable times for mothers’ mental health, with an increased risk of women experiencing depression and anxiety during this time. Therefore, understanding the level and type of service midwives provide to māmā who experience emotional distress is vital to know what midwives need in order to provide the right care to their clients.
The aim of this study was to find out what tools and resources community-based midwives find most helpful to support the needs of māmā. Seven semi-structured interviews were conducted, including four Māori midwives, who were able to provide insight on their experiences caring for mothers with mental health needs. Overall, the interviews reflected a strong sense of care and empathy from midwives during their time caring for mothers. Midwives appeared to rely on their interpersonal skills and intuition about emotional distress, and emphasised the importance of connecting with people and utilising support from their communities. Whilst midwives were interested and engaged with providing appropriate care to mothers, they were unbeknown to some of the clinical resources that could be available to their clients. The complexity of referrals and access to mental health services was central to the midwives’ frustration around caring for mothers, as well as a lack of education relating to kaupapa Māori, cultural competency, and mental health processes.
Recommendations based on this study are to provide midwives with education and training on topics like kaupapa Māori, on social and mental health resources and processes for referral to increase their ability to support and care for mothers who experience emotional distress. Improvements to the pathways for referrals and access to mental health services is essential. Future research should focus on understanding why midwives aren’t using a range of online apps and tools, and increase awareness of the available modes of support available.

year: 2023