Mirror Tracing Task
(Activity Lab)
Embedded Files
Created by Dr. Martin Shapiro
Overview
There are several forms of learning and memory. Some memories are declarative in that we can bring them to conscious awareness, such as semantic (facts), episodic (events), or special (locations). Other memories are nondeclarative such as learning motor skills such as writing a bike or texting.
A famous case study of memory was H. M. who could not convert short-term to long-term memories because of an operation that removed much of his hippocampi. However, H. M. could learn motor skill tasks such as the mirror tracing task.
The mirror tracing task is where one learns how to trace a shape like a star or a circle by looking at the image and writing implement in a mirror. It is very difficult to do, but people get better with practice.
For this exercise, you will be linked to an interactive website that uses a computer mouse to simulate the mirror tracing task.
Instructions
Download the worksheet.
Go to this website: https://projectneuron.illinois.edu/games/mirror-tracing-game-intro
Pick the 5-pointed star to trace.
Trace the star with the mouse as normal and the mouse as a mirror image.
Do your very best to stay within the lines of each 5-pointed star.
When you've completed both tracings (normal and mirror), right-click on each image and paste the image into the appropriate cell in the worksheet. This will have your tracing pattern and time.
Repeat steps 3 through 6 a total of three times each.
Evaluate your time and tracing patterns for each trial to determine if you've learned.
Worksheet
Mirror Tracing Task Worksheet.docxHow-To Video
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