Abstract: Motor sequence learning, which mostly involves effector, is one of the most important components of Motor skill learning. There were two hypotheses about the role that the effector played in the motor sequence learning. One was the effector-dependent, i.e., motor sequence learning was related to the specific effector and could not transfer from one effector to the other. Learners established connections among muscles or reactions during the learning. The other was the effector-independent, i.e., such sequence learning did not dependent on the specific effector and could transfer from one effector to the others. Learners established connections among the abstract stimuli representations in the process. The effector’s roles played in the motor sequence learning were varied with the different stages of practice, the consciousness status and some other conditions.

Key words: motor skill, motor sequence learning, effector-dependent, effector-independent