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How do you unlearn a wrong skill?

Blogs > Karliath
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1 2 3 Next All
Karliath
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2214 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-10-11 09:22:04
October 11 2010 09:04 GMT
#1
I'm sure that you guys have heard of cases where someone learns to do something the wrong way, and then has to 1) unlearn the wrong way 2)learn it the right way. As you can guess, it's usually harder to learn something correctly after one has learned it the wrong way already.

(Btw, I'm not really talking about Starcraft. It's pretty easy to learn to build a pylon at 9 even after you've been doing it at 7 for a long long time.)

My personal problem is typing. I've been typing incorrectly for as long as I can remember. It was only within the last few years, however, that I figured out that the way I was typing was actually incorrect. While I find my typing speed adequate for the normal high school workload, the way I type leads to an increased number of mistakes. In a very generalized summary, I only use the index and middle fingers of my right hand to type keys not on the resting row. Again, this is just a generalization, or whatever you call it. Some keys I press correctly, and others I press even more incorrectly.

According to this test, my speed is 83 wpm.

This brings me to my questions:

1. What is the best way to unlearn a wrong skill, and relearn a right skill in the right way?
2. Have you had a similar experience? How, if you did, did you fix it?


You're probably just going to tell me to practice typing properly, and I will. However, I was looking to see if there are any addition tips, especially when it comes to (re)learning to type.


P.S. I hate you Mavis Beacon. Load of good you did me in elementary school. (jk, ily)

*****
Stratos.FEAR
Profile Joined June 2009
Canada706 Posts
October 11 2010 09:09 GMT
#2
play nexus word wars!

ok but seriously habits are hard to break and the only way i see it is to constantly remind yourself and be aware of when you accidentally do it again
FC.Strike
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States621 Posts
October 11 2010 09:12 GMT
#3
I've unlearned quite a few bad habits, some being technical (having to relearn how to hold my violin bow, etc.), some being personal (not slouching, standing up straight, etc.)

Really there's no real "trick" to it, you just have to make a conscious effort to stop yourself every time you feel yourself doing something wrong and work to fix it. I think the biggest problem is that your brain will naturally want to think "screw it, I'm comfortable with that old thing and it worked well enough, why change it?" Try your best not to fall back into your old habits at all - the moment you consciously let something happen, the more it gets reinforced in your mind.
--------------------------> My Smiley Face Disagrees, Your Argument is Invalid -------------------------->
Karliath
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2214 Posts
October 11 2010 09:12 GMT
#4
Before anyone suggests it, I am NOT playing The Typing of the Dead LOL. Beat that when I was 10, I think.

I can't believe this is my 1000th post. :D
mierin
Profile Joined August 2010
United States4943 Posts
October 11 2010 09:16 GMT
#5
Go to your trainer, pay 50g, and respec.

In all seriousness...I feel your pain. Not sure how to go about it exactly
JD, Stork, Calm, Hyuk Fighting!
Whitesheep
Profile Blog Joined November 2009
United States59 Posts
October 11 2010 09:26 GMT
#6
assess your mistakes, then minimalize them.


i actually type pretty badly now, i press delete button like 30 times a minute. rofl
pfft
IronMonocle
Profile Joined September 2009
Canada142 Posts
October 11 2010 09:28 GMT
#7
The solution to your problem would be to just slow down, think it through and type the correct way until it becomes muscle memory. Or you could try shock therapy treatment

My armor is contempt. My shield is disgust. My sword is hatred.
Karliath
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2214 Posts
October 11 2010 09:32 GMT
#8
On October 11 2010 18:28 IronMonocle wrote:
The solution to your problem would be to just slow down, think it through and type the correct way until it becomes muscle memory. Or you could try shock therapy treatment



Isn't that for depression? O_O

But yeah, it'll definitely be hard to override (exactly) 10 years of muscle memory.
Ixas
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
930 Posts
October 11 2010 09:33 GMT
#9
Damned, what did u guys get for the test? im like 54...
Ixas.parkjiyeon.net
Karliath
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2214 Posts
October 11 2010 09:37 GMT
#10
On October 11 2010 18:33 Ixas wrote:
Damned, what did u guys get for the test? im like 54...


I don't think I realized my problem until a facebook application showed that a lot of my friends had wpm around 130.
MrBitter
Profile Joined January 2008
United States2940 Posts
October 11 2010 09:46 GMT
#11
I had a baseball coach in high-school who said this:

It takes 200 correct actions to fix a single incorrect one. I think that may be a little bit overkill, but it gets the point across.

Whenever players would develop holes in their swings, or throwing motion, it would be 200 swings, throws, or what-have-you a day until it was fixed.
Karliath
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2214 Posts
October 11 2010 09:47 GMT
#12
On October 11 2010 18:46 MrBitter wrote:
I had a baseball coach in high-school who said this:

It takes 200 correct actions to fix a single incorrect one. I think that may be a little bit overkill, but it gets the point across.

Whenever players would develop holes in their swings, or throwing motion, it would be 200 swings, throws, or what-have-you a day until it was fixed.


That's... 200x10 = 2000 years to correct my mistake. T_T
MrBitter
Profile Joined January 2008
United States2940 Posts
October 11 2010 09:49 GMT
#13
On October 11 2010 18:47 Karliath wrote:
Show nested quote +
On October 11 2010 18:46 MrBitter wrote:
I had a baseball coach in high-school who said this:

It takes 200 correct actions to fix a single incorrect one. I think that may be a little bit overkill, but it gets the point across.

Whenever players would develop holes in their swings, or throwing motion, it would be 200 swings, throws, or what-have-you a day until it was fixed.


That's... 200x10 = 2000 years to correct my mistake. T_T


Well... I wouldn't look at it that way.

In the context of typing, think of it like this:

You want to force yourself to use your pinky finger to hit the " : " key. Make yourself hit that key with your pinky 200 times a day until it feels natural.
29 fps
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
United States5724 Posts
October 11 2010 10:19 GMT
#14
you cant really "unlearn" a skill, but you can develop a new habit.

that being said, what's wrong with it now? if it works, it works, right?
4v4 is a battle of who has the better computer.
Karliath
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
United States2214 Posts
October 11 2010 10:23 GMT
#15
On October 11 2010 19:19 29 fps wrote:
you cant really "unlearn" a skill, but you can develop a new habit.

that being said, what's wrong with it now? if it works, it works, right?


It doesn't work.

There is a much higher chance of me pressing the wrong keys because my hand is flying around. For example, is it easier to hit "j" then " ' " with the index and pinky finger, respectively, or is it easier to hit the buttons with only the index finger? Obviously, I don't type this way cause I'm not THAT bad, but you get the picture.

Since I'm tying with 2 less fingers, it pretty much has to be slower too.
micronesia
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
United States24698 Posts
October 11 2010 10:29 GMT
#16
Research shows that you can't unlearn something that you've established in your brain. You just 'pave over' it. A music teacher was explaining to me that he figured out the wrong way to use his fingers on the piano when he was a kid and had to learn all over again how to position his hands. He can play correctly now but when he gets drunk enough he reverts to the old style which is way inferior :p
ModeratorThere are animal crackers for people and there are people crackers for animals.
LastWish
Profile Blog Joined September 2004
2013 Posts
October 11 2010 11:40 GMT
#17
[image loading]


[image loading]
- It's all just treason - They bring me down with their lies - Don't know the reason - My life is fire and ice -
stenole
Profile Blog Joined April 2004
Norway868 Posts
October 11 2010 11:59 GMT
#18
I'd say just force yourself to do it the right way, even though the wrong way seems easier and more natural. It doesn't reap rewards right away, but I don't think you will be able to unlearn something by actually doing something. Just make sure you don't do the things you want to unlearn, because then you'll never unlearn them. I think this applies to addictions and compulsive behaviours as well. You won't be able to stop smoking unless you actually force yourself not to. It all comes down to self-discipline.
Leath
Profile Blog Joined July 2006
Canada1724 Posts
October 11 2010 12:20 GMT
#19
You could try this.
http://www.goodtyping.com/default.htm

I type wrong too. I only use three finger to type: Ring, middle, index. I find I type slow and I make a lot of mistake.

I tried using one of those classes to learn how to type properly, but I find my little finger gets exhausted fast
I haven't put much effort, can anyone confirm that 4 fingers typing style is superior to three fingers?
http://www.kongregate.com/?referrer=Sagess
Boonbag
Profile Blog Joined March 2008
France3318 Posts
October 11 2010 12:33 GMT
#20
On October 11 2010 19:29 micronesia wrote:
Research shows that you can't unlearn something that you've established in your brain. You just 'pave over' it. A music teacher was explaining to me that he figured out the wrong way to use his fingers on the piano when he was a kid and had to learn all over again how to position his hands. He can play correctly now but when he gets drunk enough he reverts to the old style which is way inferior :p



That's pretty fucked up if now he can't drink booze.
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