ABSTRACT
Investigating training metíhods such as mental rehearsal requires a detailed assessment of motor learning processes. Due to the lack of methods for investigating cognitive aspects of motor learning, the objective is to develop and validate research methods appropriate for assessing data on the internal representation and production of a motor action. On the basis of the theory of knowledge spaces introduced by Doignon and Falmagne (1985, 1998), we propose an enhanced application of this theory to develop these research methods: In order to establish theoretically based structures on the set of basic skills assumed necessary to perform the complex motor action breast stroke, we applied principles of cognitive and biomechanical task analysis. On the basis of this hypothetical skill structure we constructed cognitive tasks on the coordination of arm and leg movements in breast stroke. Thus it is possible to assess data on the internal representation and realization of breast stroke. The results of a motor learning experiment with 31 physical education students show that the developed research methods are appro-priate for investigating the relation between the internal representation and the realization of a complex motor action.
