Ch. 2

Question 1

Performance outcome measures

Answer 1

A category of motor skill performance measures that indicate the outcome or result of performing a motor skill (e.g., how far a person walked, how fast a person ran a certain distance, how many hits a baseball player average and how many degrees a person flexed a knee).

Question 2

Performance production measures

Answer 2

A category of motor skill performance measures that indicates the performance of specific aspects of the motor control system during the performance of a motor skill (limb kinematics, force, EEG, EMG, etc.)

Question 3

Reaction time (RT)

Answer 3

The interval of time between the onset of a signal (stimulus) and the initiation of a response (e.g., the amount of time between the “go” signal for a swimming sprint race start and the beginning of the feet moving off the starting block).

Question 4

Response time

Answer 4

The time interval involving both reaction time and movement time; that is, the time from the onset of a signal (stimulus) to the completion of a response.

Question 5

Simple RT

Answer 5

The reaction time when the situation involves more than one signal (stimulus) that requires only one response.

Question 6

Choice RT

Answer 6

The reaction time when the situation involves more than one signal and each signal requires its own specified response.

Question 7

Discrimination RT

Answer 7

The reaction time when the situation involves more than one signal but only one response, which is to only one of the signals; the other signals require no response.

Question 8

Absolute error (AE)

Answer 8

The unsigned deviation from the target or criterion. representing amount of error. A measure of the magnitude of an error without regard to the direction of the deviation.

Question 9

Constant error (CE)

Answer 9

The signed (+,-) deviation from the target or criterion; it represents amount and direction of error and serves as a measures of performance bias.

Question 10

Variable error (VE)

Answer 10

An error score representing the variability (or conversely, the consistency) of performance.

Question 11

Root mean squared error (RMSE)

Answer 11

An error measure used for continuous skills to indicate the amount of error between the performance curve produced and the criterion performance curve for a specific amount of time during which performance is sampled.

Question 12

Kinematics

Answer 12

The description of motion without regard to force or mass; it includes displacement, velocity, and acceleration.

Question 13

Displacement

Answer 13

A kinematic measure describing changes in the spatial positions of a limb or joint during the time course of the movement.

Question 14

Velocity

Answer 14

A kinematic measure describing the rate of change of an object’s position with respect to time. It is derived by dividing displacement by time (e.g., m/sec, km/hr).

Question 15

Acceleration

Answer 15

A kinematic measure that describes change in velocity during movement; we derive it from velocity by dividing change in velocity by change in time.

Question 16

Kinetics

Answer 16

The study of the role of force as a cause of motion.

Question 17

EMG (electromyography)

Answer 17

A measurement technique that records the electrical activity of a muscle or group of muscles. It indicates the muscle activity.

Question 18

EEG (electroencephalography)

Answer 18

The recording of brain activity by the detection of electrical activity in specific areas on the surface oif the cortex by several surface electrodes placed on a person’s scalp. Brain activity is recorded as waves, which are identified on the basis of the speed of the rhythmic activity.

Question 19

fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging)

Answer 19

A brain scanning technique that assesses changes in blood flow by detecting blood oxygenation characteristics while a person is performing a skill or activity in the MRI scanner, It provides clear images of active brain areas at a specified time and can provide quantitative information about the levels of brain region activity.

Question 20

TMS (transcranial magnetic stimulation)

Answer 20

A noninvasive method of assessing brain activity that involves a short burst (referred to as a pulse) of a field of magnetic waves is directed at a specific area of the cortex. This pulse of magnetic activity temporarily disrupts the normal activity in that area of the brain, which allows researchers to observe a subject’s behavior when that area of the brain is not functioning.