Constraints-led motor learning S2W7 Flashcards
motor learning
- The process of acquiring the capability for producing skilled actions
- Learning occurs as a direct result of practice or experience
- Learning cannot be observed, only inferred from a change in behaviour
- Learning is relatively permanent
Bernstein’s stages of motor learning
1) Freezing the degrees of freedom
2) Releasing and reorganising
3) Exploiting mechanical properties
Dynamical Systems Theory
- “emphasises the need to understand natural phenomenon as a system with many interacting parts” (Clarke & Crossland, 1985)
- “views the learner as a complex system” (Davids et al.)
- “skill acquisition takes place via the self-organising properties of the human movement system” (Davids et al.)
characteristics of complex systems (Davids et al.)
- many independent and variable degrees of freedom
- many different levels in the system e.g. neural, mechanical, psychological
- potential for non-linear behaviour - not obviously predictable
- the capacity for stable and unstable patterned relationships among system parts
- the ability of sub system components to limit or influence the behaviour of other subsystems
- amount of force we can produce is limited by force-velocity and force-angle relationships
- can only process info so fast
- limits what the body as a whole can do
in a nut shell . . .
“From a constraints-led perspective, we can characterise skill acquisition as a learner (a dynamical movement system) searching for stable and functional co-ordination or attractors” (Davids et al.)
- attractor = preferable state that the body can cope with
attractors: finger example
- If fingers do the same thing, they’re ‘in-phase’ because they’re copying each other (out of phase if doing opposite things)
- When moving fingers together quickly, they become in-phase because it’s easier to coordinate them in the same way at that speed –> this is an attractor (the desired technique that is preferable)
emerging behaviour and constraints (Newell, 1986)
Organismic, task and environment based constraints acting –> as you move, it changes your perception of the situation - changes how you interact with the constrains (action) –> adapts the coordination pattern that is emerging considering constraints learner is under (Newell, 1986)
constraints - organismic - human characteristics
- height
- weight
- strength
- flexibility
- motivation emotions
constraints - environment - physical & social
- gravity
- light
- temperature
- weather
- culture
- expectations
constraints - task - specific to performance
- taks goals
- rules
- equipment
- playing surface
- line markings
- specific obstacles/opposition
perceptual-motor landscape (Davids et al.)
- Competing theory with the GMPs that are trying to explain the same thing
- Person has a repertoire of movement attractors e.g. gymnast on a balance beam - movement attractors might be the skills they can perform
- Need the skills to be co-ordinated with the environment in order to perform skills effectively
- As the constraints change, so does the landscape
- We have attractors we choose to move towards, and then need to coordinate these to the environment
in terms of motor learning we are:
- Searching for a solution that satisfies all the constraints placed on the system
- Adapting as constraints change
- Looking to stabilise successful coordination patterns
- Goal of practice is – seek, explore, assemble & stabilise coordination patterns
Newell’s model of motor learning (1985) (bowling example)
Stage 1: assemble a coordination pattern
- establish relationships: (swing - step - release)
- interactions: surfaces (the lane), obstacles (gutter), equipment, strategic goals
Stage 2: gaining control of a coordinative structure
- tighter fit: coordination and performance environment
Stage 3: skilled optimisation of control
- “skilled optimisation of a coordinative structure that the performer has gradually made more flexible and open to exploit environmental information sources” (Davids et al.)
- Can take advantage of mechanics and have a larger movement space because we can adapt to the situation
structuring practice
How practice is organised influences its quality and impact on learning
- Part vs Whole
- Dynamical systems theory says look at whole practice - if you don’t put everything together, you’re not practising it as it should be done in the environment
- Massed vs Distributed
- Constant vs Variable
- Blocked vs Random
manipulating the constraints
Coach can manipulate these to create the correct behaviour to produce movement patterns:
- Rules
- Equipment
- Surfaces
- Obstacles
