Performance
How valuable is "mental practicing"?
Pascual-Leone, et al (1995):
experiment involving three groups of non-musicians:
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Group 1:
practiced 5-finger exercise
2 hrs/day for 5 days
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Group 2:
imagined 5-finger exercise
2 hrs/day for 5 days
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Group 3:
sat idle at piano
2 hrs/day for 5 days
After each 2-hr session measured:
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rhythmic regularity of performance
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used transcranial magnetic stimulation
(TMS) to measure extend of motor cortex development
Results:
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Group 3: no development of motor cortex
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Group 1 & Group 2, motor cortex development indistinguishable
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Group 1: better performance than Group 2, but
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After 5 minutes of physical practice, Group 2 as good as Group 1
Copyright © 2000 David Huron