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Experimental brain research
Jul, 2021;239 (7): 2025-2041.

Assessing and defining explicit processes in visuomotor adaptation.

S Heirani Moghaddam, R Chua, E K Cressman
Author Information
  1. S Heirani Moghaddam: Sensorimotor Control Laboratory, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada. sheir079@uottawa.ca. ORCID
  2. R Chua: Perceptual-Motor Dynamics Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z1, Canada.
  3. E K Cressman: Sensorimotor Control Laboratory, School of Human Kinetics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
PMID: 33909111 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-021-06109-5

Abstract

The Process Dissociation Procedure (PDP) and Verbal Report Framework (VRF) reveal that both explicit (conscious) and implicit (unconscious) processes contribute to visuomotor adaptation. We looked to determine whether these two assessment methods establish similar processes underlying visuomotor adaptation by comparing the magnitude of explicit and implicit adaptation over time between the two assessments and to post-experiment assessments of awareness of the visuomotor distortion. Three groups of participants (PDP, VRF, VRF No-Cursor) completed three blocks of reach training in a virtual environment with a cursor rotated 40° clockwise relative to hand motion. Explicit and implicit adaptations were assessed immediately following each block, and again 5 min later. The VRF No-Cursor group completed the same assessment trials as the VRF group, but no visual feedback was presented during explicit and implicit assessment. Finally, participants completed a post-experiment questionnaire and a drawing task to assess their awareness of the visuomotor rotation and changes in reaches at the end of the experiment, respectively. We found that all groups adapted their reaches to the rotation. Averaged across participants, the magnitude and retention of explicit and implicit adaptations were similar between the PDP group and VRF group, with the VRF group demonstrating greater implicit adaptation than the VRF No-Cursor group. Furthermore, the magnitude of explicit adaptation established in the VRF group was not related to participant's post-experiment awareness of the visuomotor distortion nor how they had changed their reaches, as observed in the PDP group and VRF No-Cursor group. Together, these results indicate that, explicit adaptation established via typical VRF methods does not reflect one's awareness of the visuomotor distortion at the end of the experiment, and hence the established processes underlying visuomotor adaptation are dependent on method of assessment (i.e., PDP versus VRF).

Keywords

Explicit adaptation Implicit adaptation Process dissociation procedure Verbal report framework Visuomotor adaptation

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Grants

  1. Discovery grant/NSERC

MeSH Term

Adaptation, Physiological
Feedback, Sensory
Hand
Humans
Psychomotor Performance
Rotation
Visual Perception
Journal Article
Article has an altmetric score of 4

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