Disproportionate positive feedback facilitates sense of agency and performance for a reaching movement task with a virtual hand

PLoS ONE, 2020 · DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233175 · Published: May 20, 2020

Assistive Technology Mental Health Rehabilitation

Simple Explanation

This study explores how positive and negative feedback affects performance and sense of control during a virtual reaching task. The study found that positive feedback led to better performance and a stronger sense of control compared to negative feedback. The research suggests that positive feedback can increase confidence, which in turn improves performance in virtual reality rehabilitation.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

22 able-bodied volunteers

Evidence Level

Not specified

Key Findings

1
Positive feedback significantly increased agency compared to negative feedback.
2
Positive feedback resulted in greater reaching performance (minimizing path length) compared to negative feedback.
3
Internality, as measured by the MHLC survey, showed a positive correlation with agency when positive feedback was provided.

Research Summary

The study investigated the impact of disproportionate positive feedback (PF) versus negative feedback (NF) on performance and agency in a virtual reality reaching task. The findings revealed that training with disproportionate PF led to improved reaching performance and a greater sense of agency compared to NF. The results suggest that incorporating positive feedback in virtual reality rehabilitation paradigms can enhance both movement performance and the patient's sense of control.

Practical Implications

VR Rehabilitation Design

VR rehabilitation programs should prioritize incorporating positive feedback mechanisms to enhance patient engagement and improve outcomes.

Cognitive Priming

Positive feedback can serve as a cognitive primer, boosting confidence and leading to better motor performance even in simple tasks.

Personalized Feedback

Rehabilitation strategies should consider individual personality traits, such as internality, when tailoring feedback approaches to maximize effectiveness.

Study Limitations

1
Task simplicity may limit generalizability to more complex rehabilitation scenarios.
2
The use of only binary feedback (GOOD/BAD) may not capture the nuances of performance feedback.
3
The limited range of personality types among participants restricts conclusions about the role of personality.

Your Feedback

Was this summary helpful?

Back to Assistive Technology