# Skill Acquisition --- title: Skill Acquisition type: concept status: stable tags: - learning - expertise - performance - practice - development semantic_relations: - type: implements links: [[learning_mechanisms]] - type: related links: - [[motor_learning]] - [[cognitive_skill]] - [[expertise]] --- ## Overview Skill Acquisition refers to the process by which individuals learn and master new abilities through practice and experience. This process involves multiple stages of learning, from initial cognitive understanding to automated performance, and applies across motor, cognitive, and social domains. ## Core Components ### Learning Stages - [[acquisition_stages]] - Learn steps - [[cognitive_stage]] - Understanding - [[task_comprehension]] - Get what - [[strategy_formation]] - Plan how - [[associative_stage]] - Practice - [[refinement]] - Get better - [[error_reduction]] - Less wrong - [[autonomous_stage]] - Master - [[automaticity]] - No think - [[efficiency]] - Less effort ### Performance Components - [[skill_elements]] - Part pieces - [[basic_operations]] - Simple parts - [[movement_primitives]] - Basic moves - [[cognitive_operations]] - Think steps - [[integration]] - Put together - [[sequence_formation]] - Order right - [[coordination]] - Work together ### Control Processes - [[skill_control]] - Manage how - [[monitoring]] - Watch do - [[error_detection]] - Find wrong - [[performance_evaluation]] - How good - [[adjustment]] - Change do - [[error_correction]] - Fix wrong - [[optimization]] - Make better ## Learning Mechanisms ### Practice Effects - [[practice_impact]] - Train result - [[quantity_effects]] - How much - [[repetition]] - Do again - [[time_invested]] - How long - [[quality_effects]] - How good - [[focused_practice]] - Pay attention - [[deliberate_practice]] - Plan better ### Feedback Processing - [[feedback_use]] - Info use - [[intrinsic_feedback]] - Self know - [[proprioception]] - Feel move - [[task_outcome]] - What happen - [[extrinsic_feedback]] - Other tell - [[instruction]] - Tell how - [[correction]] - Fix tell ### Memory Formation - [[skill_memory]] - Remember how - [[procedural_memory]] - Do memory - [[motor_programs]] - Move plans - [[action_sequences]] - Step orders - [[declarative_memory]] - Know memory - [[task_knowledge]] - What know - [[strategy_knowledge]] - How know ## Neural Implementation ### Brain Networks - [[skill_networks]] - Brain parts - [[motor_networks]] - Move parts - [[motor_cortex]] - Move control - [[cerebellum]] - Move smooth - [[cognitive_networks]] - Think parts - [[prefrontal]] - Plan parts - [[parietal]] - Space parts ### Plasticity Mechanisms - [[skill_plasticity]] - Brain change - [[synaptic_changes]] - Cell connect - [[strengthening]] - Get stronger - [[pruning]] - Cut extra - [[network_changes]] - System change - [[efficiency]] - Better work - [[specialization]] - Special job ### Learning Systems - [[brain_learning]] - Learn parts - [[fast_learning]] - Quick get - [[hippocampal]] - Memory make - [[prefrontal]] - Plan make - [[slow_learning]] - Slow build - [[striatal]] - Habit make - [[cerebellar]] - Smooth make ## Skill Types ### Motor Skills - [[movement_skills]] - Body do - [[fine_motor]] - Small move - [[manipulation]] - Hand use - [[precision]] - Exact do - [[gross_motor]] - Big move - [[locomotion]] - Move around - [[balance]] - Stay up ### Cognitive Skills - [[mental_skills]] - Mind do - [[problem_solving]] - Fix things - [[analysis]] - Break down - [[solution_finding]] - Answer get - [[decision_making]] - Choose things - [[evaluation]] - Judge good - [[selection]] - Pick best ### Social Skills - [[interaction_skills]] - People do - [[communication]] - Talk skills - [[expression]] - Say things - [[understanding]] - Get things - [[social_cognition]] - People think - [[perspective_taking]] - Other view - [[social_rules]] - Group ways ## Applications ### Educational Applications - [[learning_design]] - Teach plan - [[instruction]] - Show how - [[demonstration]] - Show do - [[explanation]] - Tell why - [[practice_design]] - Train plan - [[progression]] - Step up - [[variation]] - Change how ### Training Applications - [[skill_training]] - Learn help - [[basic_training]] - Start learn - [[foundation_skills]] - Base build - [[progression_steps]] - Move up - [[advanced_training]] - Expert learn - [[refinement]] - Fine tune - [[integration]] - Put together ### Rehabilitation Applications - [[skill_recovery]] - Get back - [[assessment]] - Check what - [[deficit_evaluation]] - Lost what - [[capacity_testing]] - Can what - [[intervention]] - Help how - [[retraining]] - Learn again - [[compensation]] - New way ## Research Methods ### Behavioral Methods - [[performance_assessment]] - Check do - [[skill_testing]] - Test how - [[accuracy]] - Right check - [[speed]] - Fast check - [[learning_curves]] - Better track - [[rate]] - How fast - [[plateau]] - Stop point ### Neural Methods - [[brain_assessment]] - Brain check - [[activation]] - Work where - [[task_activity]] - Do brain - [[rest_activity]] - Stop brain - [[connectivity]] - Connect how - [[functional]] - Work link - [[structural]] - Build link ### Computational Methods - [[skill_modeling]] - Math check - [[learning_models]] - Get how - [[rate_models]] - Speed math - [[stage_models]] - Step math - [[performance_models]] - Do how - [[error_models]] - Wrong math - [[optimization_models]] - Better math ## Future Directions ### Current Challenges - [[individual_differences]] - Person vary - [[transfer_limits]] - Move hard - [[plateau_effects]] - Stop grow ### Emerging Approaches - [[personalized_learning]] - Person fit - [[technology_enhanced]] - Tech help - [[hybrid_training]] - Mix ways ## References - [[fitts_posner]] - [[anderson_skill]] - [[ericsson_expertise]] - [[willingham_motor]] ## Related Concepts - [[learning_mechanisms]] - [[motor_control]] - [[cognitive_skill]] - [[expertise]] - [[practice]] - [[performance]]