Effects of different verbal instructions on usage of haptic guidance

In sports and rehabilitation settings, although haptic guidance is a general method for facilitating motor learning, the effects of verbal instruction on motor learning remain unclear when using haptic guidance. This study thus investigated the influence of verbal instruction on a novel visuo-motor task presented before practice, while also implementing haptic guidance. Thirty participants, who performed a mirror drawing task, were randomly allocated to three groups: control-without augmented verbal instruction, HG-with relying (HG-with)-instructed to rely on guidance devices, and HG-without relying (HG-without)-instructed not to rely on guidance devices. We assessed the tracing time and error area of the mirror drawing task as performance measurements. The self-made guidance devices used in the practice session were constructed of 2-mm-thick cardboard and had a 5-mm-wide groove that matched the shape of the target figure. The tracing time in HG-with condition during the practice session (median = 66.5 s, IQR = 55.3-80.5 s) was significantly shorter compared with that in control condition (median = 132.5 s, IQR = 125.0-144.8 s) (p = .019). The error area (median = 585.0 mm2, IQR = 559-687.0 mm2) was also significantly larger in the HG-with condition than in control condition (median = 413.5 mm2, IQR = 350.5-494.0 mm2) (p = .029). Additionally, HG-with condition (mean = 46 %, SD = 12.3 %) showed greater improvement rate for tracing time from pre-test to post-test than HG-without condition (mean = 30 %, SD = 8.3 %) (p = .032). Our results suggest that, even if the same haptic guidance was implemented, visuo-motor task improvement was influenced by verbal instructions.

Automated summary

In sports and rehabilitation settings, the influence of verbal instruction on motor learning remains unclear when using haptic guidance. This study investigated the influence of verbal instruction on a novel visuo-motor task using haptic guidance. The results showed that verbal instructions significantly influenced the improvement in the visuo-motor task performance, even when the same haptic guidance was implemented.