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Tosatto L, Fagot J, Nemeth D, Rey A. Chunking as a function of sequence length. Anim Cogn 2024:10.1007/s10071-024-01835-z. [PMID: 38429566 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01835-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 09/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Chunking mechanisms are central to several cognitive processes. During the acquisition of visuo-motor sequences, it is commonly reported that these sequences are segmented into chunks leading to more fluid, rapid, and accurate performances. The question of a chunk's storage capacity has been often investigated but little is known about the dynamics of chunk size evolution relative to sequence length. In two experiments, we studied the dynamics and the evolution of a sequence's chunking pattern as a function of sequence length in a non-human primate species (Guinea baboons, Papio papio). Using an operant conditioning device, baboons had to point on a touch screen to a moving target. In Experiment 1, they had to produce repeatedly the same sequence of 4 movements during 2000 trials. In Experiment 2, the sequence was composed of 5 movements and was repeated 4000 times. For both lengths, baboons initially produced small chunks that became fewer and longer with practice. Moreover, the dynamics and the evolution of the chunking pattern varied as a function of sequence length. Finally, with extended practice (i.e., more than 2000 trials), we observed that the mean chunk size reached a plateau indicating that there are fundamental limits to chunking processes that also depend on sequence length. These data therefore provide new empirical evidence for understanding the general properties of chunking mechanisms in sequence learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laure Tosatto
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LPC, Marseille, France.
- Aix Marseille Univ, ILCB, Aix-en-Provence, France.
- Normandie Univ, UNICAEN, CNRS, ETHOS, 14000, Caen, France.
| | - Joël Fagot
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LPC, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, ILCB, Aix-en-Provence, France
- Station de Primatologie Celphedia, CNRS, Rousset, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRPN, Marseille, France
| | - Dezso Nemeth
- INSERM, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, Centre de Recherche en Neurosciences de Lyon CRNL U1028 UMR5292, Bron, France
- NAP Research Group, Institute of Psychology, Eötvös Loránd University & Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience and Psychology, HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Education and Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Atlántico Medio, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain
| | - Arnaud Rey
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, LPC, Marseille, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, ILCB, Aix-en-Provence, France
- Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, CRPN, Marseille, France
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Barnhoorn JS, Van Asseldonk EHF, Verwey WB. Differences in chunking behavior between young and older adults diminish with extended practice. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2019; 83:275-285. [PMID: 29270674 PMCID: PMC6433807 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-017-0963-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2017] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Previous research found reduced motor chunking behavior in older adults compared to young adults. However, it remains unclear whether older adults are unable to use a chunking strategy or whether they are just slower in developing them. Our goal was to investigate the effect of extended practice on the development of chunking behavior in healthy older adults. A group of young and a group of healthy older adults between 74 and 85 years of age visited the lab on 2 days. A sequence of 3 and a sequence of 6 elements were both practiced 432 times in a discrete sequence production task. We found that age differences in chunking behavior, as measured by the difference between initiation and execution of the sequence, diminish with extended practice. Furthermore, in older, but not in young adults, slow responses that are often interpreted as the first response of a next motor chunk were associated with a finger that was also slow during performance of the random sequences. This finding calls for more attention to biomechanical factors in future theory about aging and sequence learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. S. Barnhoorn
- Cognitive Psychology and Ergonomics, MIRA, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - E. H. F. Van Asseldonk
- Department of Biomechanical Engineering, MIRA, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
| | - W. B. Verwey
- Cognitive Psychology and Ergonomics, MIRA, University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
- Human Performance Laboratories, Department of Health and Kinesiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX USA
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