Effects of frame of reference on the spatial and motor component in the early and late learning stages of procedural learning

Research has shown that procedural learning of sequences can be split into an early and a late stage of learning. It is further assumed that spatial and motor systems are not equally active during these stages. The spatial system is assumed to be primarily active during the early learning stage, whereas the motor system is assumed to be most active during the late learning stage. This research study tests if these two systems differ in their activity during the early and late learning stage. For this purpose, the participants performed a Discrete Sequence Production (DSP) task. After a practice phase they were forced to change their hand and eye-centered frame of reference in either the early or late learning stage. The results show that the motor system is indeed heavily active during the late learning stage. The spatial system however was not found to be dominantly active in only one stage. These results indicate that the spatial system is active in the early learning stage as well as in the late learning stage