Some of the articles that we read this week examined what people learn when they learn a new skill. I was thinking about this issue: in particular, how one learns to play a new melody on an instrument. It has been a long time since I played an instrument, so I cannot remember how much of rehearsing a piece is verbally mediated. One of the hallmarks of procedural memory is that it is not verball mediated. So, the question is: when you we switch from a verbally mediated representation (e.g., 'Frosty, the Snowman' = F D E F B A) to a skilled/procedural/non-verbal performance (that is, you just sit down and play the song). Does the transformation happen all at once, or is the transition gradual? Is losing the need for verbal labels an indication that you finally 'have it'? Is the process different for learning to sing a new song? Those of you who do not play an instrument or sing in a formal group might reflect on the process of learning a new 'play' in basketball or hockey, a new stroke in swimming or on another other physical skill that you might possess.
Submitted by Matthew Schulkind
on Friday, 2/6/2009, at 11:12 AM