Efeito da adaptação estrutural na competência do desempenho

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effect of structural adaptation on increasing performance competence. An experiment was developed using a complex coincident timing task, in which the learners should touch sequentially 5 sensors and match the touch of the last sensor with the arrival of a visual stimulus. Participants were randomly divided into an experimental group, called the Adaptation Group (AG) with 19 participants, and Control Group (CG) with 20 participants. The experiment had three phases: Stabilization, Adaptation I, and Adaptation II. Both groups practiced the task in the same condition during the Stabilization until they reached the performance criterion (PC) stipulated in three consecutive correct attempts. In Adaptation I, a perturbation was inserted, characterized by an increase in the speed of the visual stimulus, and the AG group practiced until reaching the PC again. This perturbation led 11 apprentices to structural adaptation, and the 9 who did not adapt structurally were excluded from further analysis. The CG did not participate in Adaptation I. Both groups participated in Adaptation II, with a new perturbation characterized by a reduction in the speed of the visual stimulus, and practiced it until they reached PC again. The results indicated that the groups were similar in performance during Adaptation II, with AG showing a more variable performance at the beginning of this phase. Both groups adapted parametrically in Adaptation II. The analysis of the fluency of the movement showed that only the AG showed an improvement in this variable at the beginning of the Adaptation II. The results indicate that the structural adaptation leads to a gain in performance competence, reflected in the movement control, but that this competence gain did not reflect in the speed of performance stabilization. The information obtained by GA in the Adaptation I resulted in greater competence. Leading into account that the performance efficiency variable may reflect the feature of the Hierarchical Organized Action Program at the macro level, it can be concluded that structural adaptation increased performance competence by leading to more efficient changes in control in the macrostructure. The relationship between performance competence, performance stabilization speed with Hierarchical Organized Action Program still needs further studies.