INTRODUCTION

Modelling or demonstrating movement skills in addition to providing clear verbal instructions at appropriate times. The purpose of this lab experiment is to examine the effects of providing a demonstration of a skill in the presence and absence of verbal instructions.

PROCEDURE

The objective of this task is to tie a correct bowline knot.

You will need the following materials:

One piece of rope or string 1 to 1.5 feet in length for each pair of students • Instructional video for tying a bowline knot as shown on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=57CTfXEk7qk&feature=related

Individual Data Sheet

Group Data Sheet

Divide into three groups. Group 1 (Model Only) will watch the instructional video for tying a bowline knot with the sound turned off. Group 2 (Model + Verbal Instructions) will watch the same video with the sound turned on. Group 3 (Static stimuli) this group will be presented with a static image of a completed bowline knot only as their guide. You will work in groups of three, one person performs the task while another records the number of correctly performed task components during each trial; use the Individual Data Sheet. The first participant should complete all trials before the next group member, and so on.

RESULTS

On the Individual Data Sheet, add the total number of components that you performed correctly for each trial. Calculate the mean number of correct components by dividing the total number of correct components across trials by the number of trials (10).

Obtain the data on the total number of correct components across the ten trials from all the participants in each Groups and enter it in the Group Data Sheet.

Calculate the mean number of correct components per participant by dividing the total number of correct components across trials by the number of trials (10).

Perform a t-test using the mean data of either groups 1 and 2, 1 and 3, 2 and 3, at www.calculator.net/standard-deviation-calculator.html.

DISCUSSION

Consider the following questions in your class discussions:

How did the verbal instructions affect performance?

Discuss the task sheet used for measuring performance. How would you change it? Why?

Re-examine the data. Who outperformed whom―the individuals who served as experimenters/recorders first or those who attempted the task first? Why might this have occurred?

Individual Data Sheet

Enter a check for each task component performed correctly.

Mean number of correct components across the 10 trials: _______________

Group Data Sheet