A cognitive modeling approach - does tactical breathing in a psychomotor task influence skill development during adaptive instruction?

This paper reports the relationship between cognitive (e.g., attentional resources) and physiological (e.g., breathing) factors in executing a psychomotor task (i.e., golf putting). We explore performance from a series of computational models in the ACT-R and ACT-R/ϕ architecture in an attempt to improve adaptive instruction and feedback using a predictive model. We particularly investigate the effect of tactical breathing during a psychomotor task of golf putting. In general, learners are instructed to perform proper breathing while executing actions. However, it is not well understood that how the corresponding mechanisms of attentional control interact with the physiological factors as the learner progresses to the learning stage. In addition the instruction and feedback policy in a training system need to deal with the changing attentional capacity in the learning stage. One of the advantages using an adaptive training system (e.g., Generalized Intelligent Framework for Training: GIFT) is to provide tailored feedback to the leaner. It is, thus, necessary to understand what influences skill development, and how physiological and cognitive processes work together to reinforce correct behaviors. Our study starts to answer such questions for psychomotor instruction within intelligent tutoring systems.