Understanding the role of cognitive effort within contextual interference paradigms: Theory, measurement, and tutorial

BACKGROUND:“Contextual interference” (CI) describes a counterintuitive phenomenon related to practice organization when learning multiple tasks that are presented in non-repetitive order. In CI, the lack of repetitiveness introduces high level interference within context such task performance during initial skill acquisition is frequently poorer than if practiced repetitive fashion. However, these learners often perform better on retention and transfer individuals who learn low CI environment. AIM:We provide tutorial several novel ways which researchers can investigate brain activity paradigm using functional near-infrared spectroscopy: Relative neural efficiency (RNE), relative involvement (RNI), laterality index (LI). METHOD:RNE integrates measures cognitive effort behavioral performance; environments, RNE should initially be poor (high effort, performance), then improve transfer. RNI provides an relationship among motivation, mental performance. Finally, LI allows for exploration lateralization between two hemispheres cerebral cortex. RESULTS:Significant differences were found total hemoglobin, right left prefrontal cortex regions. The accompanied by moderate-to-large effect size with random less was more oriented goal orientation processes blocked focused visuomotor attentional components used lower scores. CONCLUSION:RNE, RNI, innovative methods understand paradigms.