Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
Camus, John Michael B.
Our Lady of Fatima University
Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
Abstract
This study aims to determine the effect of practice in some skills or activities on
retention of some previously practiced activity and on future activities. Transfer of training
through Mirror tracing tasked was examined for 1 person. The performance of the
preferred hand initially differed, and the improvement was significantly shown in the
results. It was clearly shown that the brain adapts and retains memory and through this
evidence it was proven that anything can be learn through practice.
Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
Introduction
Our brain can do so many things without thinking (walk, chew, ride a bike). This
experiment shows how brains rely on a familiar setup of sensory information to coordinate
actions with ease: When you change something slightly, such as flipping visual
information with a mirror, simple tasks becomes more difficult but our brain can adapt and
learn to adjust to new information. According to O’boyle, Hoff, Gill (1995) each
hemisphere of the brain has a specialization in different task, the left hemisphere is
responsible for linguistic functions while the right hemisphere is responsible for complex
visuo-spatial analysis.
The concept of learning which predominates both in common sense discussion
and in psychological research is that the process which particular kinds of motor reactions
become connected to scientific stimuli (Troland, n.d.). The simplest kind of learning
consists in the mere memory of such patterned impressions upon the cortex. Such
learning does not involve the formation of habits and in itself, cannot be assumed by pure
behavior based observation (Caputki, 2003). According to Troland learning may take
place either by practice, imitation or some form of reasoning whilst motor control is
primarily accomplished by practice or trial and error.
The simplicity and flexibility of the mirror tracing experiment insured its popularity as a
psychological instrument from the time of its first introduction. The mirror tracing
experiment were conducted to investigate the connection of motor control and perception
(Halpern, 2000). According to Kimura (1999) mirror tracing has become a very important
and popular study to use when determining difference in abilities, each spatial task
focuses on other aspects of it, some focus on mental orientation and some focus on
Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
critical thinking skills. Drawing is a learned ability that needs visual and proprioceptive
response to control your own movement and it creates a conflict between the visual
information and the proprioception of the hand when he mirror faces the subject (Lajoie,
Paillard, Teasdale, Bard, Fleury, Forget, Lamarre, 1992). Mirror tracing focuses on
repetitive motions as the respondents are required to draw the same shape over a period
of time by only looking in the reflection on the mirror. According to O’boyle, Hoff and Gill
(1995) mirror tracing has its limitations as it is only focused on a limited amount of shapes
which with time and practice all people can perform well. However it does measure the
speed and accuracy. Also an old study of Higginson (1938) says that mirror tracing has
lack of control of source and intensity of the illumination, researchers have a difficulty of
adjusting the mirror to distances suitable for the observer, and inability to prevent
surreptitious peeping by the respondents, also lack of control of visual field.
Method
This chapter includes the research design of the study including the procedures
for the experiment, and how the date is analyzed and interpreted by the researcher.
Research Design
For this study, the researcher employed a comparative, pre-experimental
research design. The participant were recorded and scored while tracing the given
instruments to determine the effect of practice in some skills or activities on the retention
of some previously practiced activity and on future activities.
Participant/s
This study was conducted at Our Lady of Fatima University Valenzuela Campus.
The subject was a student and a Left handed.
Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
1. S makes 6 trials in tracing the star, first with his skilled hand and the next with his
unskilled hand, and so on.
2. E observe S. S performs 8 trials, starting with his skilled hand, alternating right
hand and left, meaning there will be 4 trials with each hand.
3. S makes 11 trails using the skilled hand
4. S makes 19 runs with his skilled hand. Immediately after, S makes 4 additional
runs with his unskilled hand (23 runs in all).
5. E and S exchange roles, and then repeat procedures 1 to 4.
Research instrument/s
Mirror, Drawing apparatus, stopwatch, six-pointed star.
Procedures
Record reaction time for all trials
Results
Graph 1: Error
120
90
U2; U4; U6; U8
60
30 U20; U21; U22; U23
18 15 18
14 14
13
0
T1 T2 T3 T4
Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
The results are graphed by plotting the number of errors by trial as a function of sequence
(Fig. 1). Note that performance was not significantly improved over time. Though it is
some evidence of motor learning taking place. In other words, they retained what they
learned, the brain adapt to the new environment rather than forgetting it. Although it has
been made clear that tracing time and errors would decrease gradually with continued
trials (Hayatama, Yoshiizumi, Sato, 1997), little information has so far been provided
about their changes.
Graph 2: Time
120
90
60 U2; U4; U6; U8
30 18 17 U20; U21; U22; U23
11 13 14
9.32 8 6.23
0
T1 T2 T3 T4
The results are graphed by plotting the time in a trial as a function of sequence (Fig.1).
Note that performance improved over time. The participant’s starting point from 18
seconds and dramatically decreasing the time to 6.23 seconds. Second, the rate of
improvement clearly shows learning has already taken place, the participants learns more
quickly. According to Lindauer (2014) the decrease in mean trial time over the course of
task-specific training was imminent and the participants in this training will always improve
their performance on the tasks because their brain will soon memorize the task that they
were simulated.
Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
Discussion
The results shows proof that the performance was improved overtime, it is an evidence
that motor learning was taking place (Lindauer, 2014) The improvement of the scores and
the time that the mirror tracing takes place proves that the brain adapts and adjust to new
environment even if the motor that you are using is not the dominant one. According to
the study of Hayatama, Yoshiizumi, Sato, (1997) through practice, every skills can be
learned. Setting things aside, some problems still needs to be discussed. The scores of
the errors was not that enough to say that there was an improvement but environmental
factors must not be excluded, fatigue can be a factor on why the researchers can’t see
some improvement on the errors of the participant. And other participants can be
ambidextrous. Limitations cant be excluded like the lighting of the room, the noise and
the temperature. Also the researchers can’t always prevent the participants from peeping
through the picture.
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Mirror Tracing - Transfer of Training
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