In the associative stage of motor learning, what ability do participants develop?

In the associative stage of motor learning, participants experience significant improvements in their skills as they progress from the initial phase of skill acquisition. At this stage, learners begin to refine the techniques they have already acquired, focusing on consistency and performance. They develop a better understanding of the task and can utilize guidance to improve their execution.

This stage is characterized by a reduction in errors compared to the initial phase, and learners start to make corrections based on feedback. While they may not achieve full mastery of the skill yet, the association of movements and the refinement of performance gain considerable traction. This allows participants to enhance their coordination and timing through practice and guidance, leading to more reliable execution of the skill.

The other options highlight different aspects of motor learning stages or capabilities that are not specifically relevant to the associative stage. For instance, basic skill acquisition pertains more to the initial stage, while mastery of skills without feedback is indicative of a later stage, and immediate error detection is generally developed in conjunction with advanced learning and experience.