Observing Errors in a Combination of Error and Correct Models Favors Observational Motor Learning

Abstract Background:Imitative learning is highly effective from infancy to old age, but little is known about the effects of observing errors during imitative learning. This study aims to examine how observing errors affect imitative learning performance, to maximize the effects of imitative learning. Method：In the pre-training session, participants were instructed to pinch at the target force (8 N) with auditory feedback about generated force while watching videos of someone pinching a sponge at the target force. In the pre-test, participants pinched at the target force without viewing a model or receiving auditory feedback. In Experiment 1, in the main training session, participants imitated models while watching videos of pinching at either the incorrect force (error-mixed condition) or the target force (all-correct condition). Then, the exact force they generated in pinching was measured without receiving auditory feedback or viewing a model. In Experiment 2, using the same procedure in the pre-training and pre-test sessions, newly recruited participants watched pinching at incorrect forces (4 and 24 N) as the all-error condition and the correct force as the correct condition. Results: In Experiment 1, the average force was better in the error-mixed condition than in the correct condition. In Experiment 2, the average force in the correct condition was better than that in the error condition.Conclusion: Our findings indicate that observing error actions combined with correct actions affected imitation motor learning positively, because error actions contain what-not-to-do information about the target action, unlike correct actions, which provide more information to enhance imitative learning.