As post-secondary educators we understand the importance of experiential learning. To improve student hands on knowledge we developed a suite of computer-based lab modules for our own courses, that span the topics covered in typical motor control and learning courses.
Each lab experience takes between 10 and 30 minutes to complete, and the number of trials is customizable. Once the lab is complete, the student can save the data file to their computer for later analysis. Individual trial outcomes and mean values are provided for most labs (where applicable).
Click on any lab below for a brief description.
In this lab we examine several measures of performance as well has different ways to calculate error scores.
This lab looks at how the precision of performance feedback allows us to modify our actions.
This lab demonstrates the classic Fitts linear speed-accuracy tradeoff. Students click as fast as possible between targets and movement time is calculated.
An examination of how preparing for movement sequences of varying complexity affects reaction time.
This lab explores how changing the number of stimulus-response alternatives impacts reaction time.
This lab experience examines the phenomenon of IOR, whereby responses tend to be slower to targets that have been previously cued.
This lab determines how fast we can process visual information from the environment by requiring the identification of a briefly presented figure.
This lab looks at how short term memory capacity and duration is negatively impacted by intervening tasks and positively impacted by functionally linking pieces of information together.
This lab looks at the effect of visual illusions on the ability to perceive object lengths.
This lab explores the "negative priming effect" whereby prior exposure to a stimulus unfavourably affects the subsequent response to the same stimulus.
This motor learning lab examines how practice variability affects acquisition, retention, and transfer performance for a new task.
This lab examines how reaction time is affected by precuing various aspects of a response.
This lab investigates the attentional requirements of performing a primary task by probing reaction time as a secondary task.
This lab involves examination of the psychological refractory period (PRP) by requiring two responses to two stimuli, presented at various onset asynchronies.
This lab looks at the impact of an irrelevant stimulus feature on the speed of responding.
In this lab, the reaction time to a single visual stimulus is assessed.
An anticipation-timing task is used to examine the concept of a motor program and the "point of no return."
This lab looks into how reaction time is impacted by varying the intensity of the visual "go" stimulus.
This lab explores how spatial compatibility and effector compatibility impact response processing and reaction time.
This lab uses the "Stroop phenomenon" to look at how competition from automatically processed information impacts responses.
In this lab, differences in reaction time to different sensory modalities are assesed.
In this lab a feedback based distortion is applied to investigate how we adapt our movements to novel environments, and how those effects carry over once the distortion is removed.
This lab explores the least amount of change in a stimulus that can be reliably detected, known as a just noticeable difference (JND).