Exam 1 answer bank

Question 1

A researcher from the area of _________ would be interested in how massed versus distributed practice influences the acquisition of a skill.

Answer 1

Motor Learning

Question 2

The degree of Freedom problem is a negative aspect of motor control.
True
False

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The terms ‘physical growth’ and ‘motor development’ are interchangeable.
True
False

Answer 3

False

Question 4

What is the solution for the degree of freedom problem of the motor control?

Answer 4

Coordination

Question 5

What is the solution for the serial order problem?

Answer 5

Coarticulation

Question 6

Degrees of freedom refer to the number of independent components in a control system and
the number of ways each component can vary.
True
False

Answer 6

True

Question 7

Provide two examples of perception and motor integration error.

Answer 7

Lifting a light object that looks heavy. Having a depth perception error in stairs that have a patterned carpet.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT one of the characteristics of motor learning?
a. can be observed directly
b. occurs as a direct result of practice
c. is assumed to produce relatively permanent changes in the capability for skilled behavior
d. is the process of acquiring a capability for producing skilled actions

Answer 8

Can be observed directly

Question 9

To distract a basketball free throw shooter, the fans from the opposing team wave their arms in
the air. The waving arms are an example of a regulatory condition.
True
False

Answer 9

False

Question 10

The color of a ball is an example of a non-regulatory condition.
True
False

Answer 10

True

Question 11

Skill classification is important since it provides a guideline on how the transfer principle can be
implemented and help practitioners to better design practice programs.
True
False

Answer 11

True

Question 12

According to Gentile’s taxonomy of motor skills, which of the following describes the least
complex skill?
a. Regulatory conditions stationary; object manipulated
b. Regulatory conditions in motion; object manipulated
c. Regulatory conditions stationary; no object manipulated
d. Regulatory conditions in motion; no object manipulated

Answer 12

C

Question 13

Riding a surfboard on multiple waves would be classified in Gentile’s taxonomy as:
a. Stationary environment, intertrial variability, body transport
b. Stationary environment, intertrial variability, body stability
c. In motion environment, intertrial variability, body transport
d. In motion environment, intertrial variability, body stability

Answer 13

C

Question 14

A softball player throws pitches to a stationary, cardboard cut-out of a batter. The Environmental
Context for the pitcher is:
a. Stationary with intertrial variability
b. Stationary with no intertrial variability
c. In-motion with intertrial variability
d. In-motion with no intertrial variability

Answer 14

B

Question 15

Archery and piano playing are two quite different skills, yet they can both be classified as
________ motor skills when the classification system is based on the stability of the
environment.

Answer 15

Closed

Question 16

Faking out an opponent is effective due to which of these?
a. stimulus-response compatibility.
a. stimulus-response compatibility
b. psychological refractory period
c. Hick’s law
d. central limited capacity

Answer 16

B

Question 17

The primary motor cortex is the area of the cerebral cortex primarily responsible for movement
initiation and the coordination of movements for fine motor skills.
True
False

Answer 17

True

Question 18

Damage to the cerebellum typically results in clumsy movements.
True
False

Answer 18

True

Question 19

Motor neurons are also called:
a. Interneurons
b. Afferent neurons
c. Efferent neurons
d. Impulse neurons

Answer 19

C

Question 20

Which area of the cerebral cortex is NOT one of the four areas primarily involved in the control
of movement?
a. Primary motor cortex
b. Premotor area
c. Supplementary motor area
d. Temporal lobe

Answer 20

D

Question 21

Which of the following is an important subcortical structure involved in the control of
movement?
a. Primary motor cortex
b. Premotor area
c. Supplementary motor area
d. Basal ganglia

Answer 21

D

Question 22

Parkinson’s disease is the result of a dysfunction of this area of the brain.
a. Cerebral cortex
b. Cerebellum
c. Basal ganglia
d. Diencephalon

Answer 22

C

Question 23

The most posterior lobe of the cerebral cortex, which is especially important for visual
perception, is the ______________ lobe.

Answer 23

Occipital

Question 24

Multiple resource theories of attention focus on the types of demands placed on various
information processing and response outcome structures.
True
False

Answer 24

True

Question 25

The research procedure most commonly used to investigate attention-limit issues for motor skill learning and performance is known as the: a. Attentional focus procedure b. Dual-task procedure c. Event occlusion procedure d. Temporal occlusion procedure

Answer 25

A

Question 26

The process involved when people direct attention to specific regulatory features in the environment and/or to action preparation activities is known as attention: a. Capacity b. Demands c. Focus d. Switching

Answer 26

C

Question 27

Focusing on your legs pushing the water down would be an example of an external focus. True False

Answer 27

True

Question 28

Which of the following sensory developmental delays could occur due to limited physically active experiences and thus hinder children's ability to acquire more complex motor skills? a. proprioceptive development b. visual acuity development c. auditory development d. vestibular development

Answer 28

A

Question 29

Which of the following does NOT provide proprioception? a. Golgi tendon organs b. vestibular apparatus c. audition d. cutaneous receptors

Answer 29

B

Question 30

A basketball player is very nervous about her upcoming game and to try to calm her nerves is visualizing her previous game where she scored many points. What system of long-term memory is being accessed? a. Procedural b. Semantic c. Episodic d. Central Executive

Answer 30

C

Question 31

Two important functions of working memory are to serve as a: (1) storage location for information just presented; (2) workspace to integrate information you just received with information retrieved from ________.

Answer 31

Long term memory

Question 32

What is not considered a role of the working memory? a. Retrieves information from long term memory b. Decision making c. Movement production d. Save procedural memory for an extended time.

Answer 32

D

Question 33

An individual selective attends to some information in the environment and will be available in ____________ memory for approximately 20-30 seconds.

Answer 33

Short term

Question 34

A benefit of a basic understanding of motor control theory is that it provides the practitioner with a base of support on which he or she can develop effective skill instruction and practice environments. True False

Answer 34

True

Question 35

An example of an invariant feature of a generalized motor program (GMP) is the overall speed involved in performing a skill. True False

Answer 35

False

Question 36

According to Schmidt's motor program-based theory of motor control, which of the following would be controlled by the same generalized motor program (GMP)? a. Hitting a golf ball and hitting a pitched baseball b. Throwing a ball overhand and underhand c. Using either hand to reach for and grasp an object d. Walking and running

Answer 36

C

Question 37

An example of a parameter added to Schmidt's generalized motor program (GMP) would be: a. The relative timing characteristics of your signature b. The relative force used to write your signature c. The muscles used to write your signature d. None of the above

Answer 37

C

Question 38

An example of an invariant feature in Schmidt's generalized motor program (GMP) would be: a. The relative timing characteristics of your signature b. The absolute time used to write your signature c. The absolute force used to write your signature d. The muscles used to write your signature

Answer 38

A

Question 39

An important difference between the open- and closed-loop control systems is that the: a. Closed-loop system involves feedback; the open-loop system does not b. Open-loop system involves feedback; the closed-loop system does not c. Closed-loop system involves movement instructions; the open-loop system does not d. Open-loop system involves movement instructions; the closed-loop system does not

Answer 39

A

Question 40

The action of throwing a dart at a dartboard is an example of a motor skill that is controlled by: a. A closed-loop control system b. An open-loop control system c. Both open-loop and closed-loop control systems d. Feedback

Answer 40

B

Question 41

Which of the following skills would be under closed-loop control? a. Throwing a dart at a dart board b. Bowling a bowling ball c. Shooting a bullet at a tin can d. Driving a car

Answer 41

D

Question 42

That people spontaneously change from a walking to a running coordination pattern at a certain speed demonstrates that patterns of movement coordination can self-organize. True False

Answer 42

True

Question 43

Perception-action coupling is an essential element in accounting for the motor control of open motor skills such as catching a thrown ball. True False

Answer 43

True

Question 44

According to the ecological perspectives thoery, the reciprocal fit between the characteristics of a person and the characteristics of the environment that permit specific actions, such as stairs having the physical characteristics to permit stair climbing, are referred to as _____________.

Answer 44

Affordance

Question 45

47. The performance of any motor skill is influenced by characteristics of: a. The performer b. The environment c. The skill itself d. All of the above

Answer 45

D

Question 46

The coordination between the two arms can spontaneously shift (transition) as swimming speed increases. True False

Answer 46

True

Question 47

The dynamical systems theory indicates that skilled action is controlled by the nervous system constraining functionally specific collectives of muscles and joints, which are known as: a. Coordinative structures b. Degrees of freedom c. Generalized motor programs d. Motor units

Answer 47

A

Question 48

In dynamical systems terminology, an attractor refers to a: a. Complex movement b. Stable behavioral steady state of a system c. Motor program d. State of coordination instability

Answer 48

B

Question 49

Fitts' Law specifies that performance will show a speed-accuracy trade-off in a rapid manual aiming task according to the relationship between which two characteristics of the task? a. Distance to move and target size b. Distance to move and movement speed c. Target size and movement speed d. Target size and type of target

Answer 49

A

Question 50

The Fitts and Posner stages of learning model proposes that learners engage in the highest amount of cognitive activity during the associative stage. True False

Answer 50

False

Question 51

According to Gentile's stages of learning model, the learner's goals for the later stages depend on whether the skill is an open or closed skill. True False

Answer 51

True

Question 52

Learners in the later stages of learning typically "freeze degrees of freedom" in their attempt to control the multiple degrees of freedom of a complex motor skill. True False

Answer 52

False

Question 53

According to Fitts and Posner, the learner moves through three stages when learning a motor skill. These are the cognitive, the associative, and the: a. Fixated b. Diversified c. Verbal d. Autonomous

Answer 53

D

Question 54

Gentile's learning stages model indicates that in the second stage of learning, one goal of the learner is related specifically to closed skills. This goal is called: a. Fixation b. Diversification c. Relevant d. Irrelevant

Answer 54

A

Question 55

According to Bernstein, during the early phase of skill acquisition, learners tend to: a. Freeze degrees of freedom b. Unfreeze degrees of freedom c. Select efficient movement patterns d. None of the above

Answer 55

A

Question 56

According to Bernstein, during the last phase of skill acquisition, learners: a. Freeze degrees of freedom b. Unfreeze degrees of freedom c. Exploit passive forces to minimize energy costs d. Develop coordinative structures

Answer 56

C

Question 57

Automatization of motor skills is associated with _____________ in cortical brain activity. a. A reduction b. An increase c. No change d. Strange oscillations

Answer 57

A

Question 58

According to the Fitts and Posner model, the stage of learning during which the learner makes a large number of errors and tries to answer a lot of "how to" questions is the ________ stage

Answer 58

Cognitive

Question 59

An important performance characteristic often associated with learning is that the person becomes increasingly more capable of adapting performance of the skill to new performance contexts and situations. True False

Answer 59

True

Question 60

A retention test typically follows a period of time after practice of a skill has ceased. True False

Answer 60

True

Question 61

Requiring a person to perform a skill under stressful conditions, which have not been experienced during practice, is an effective way to give a retention test. True False

Answer 61

False

Question 62

If the performance measure has a maximum score that can be attained it is known as a ceiling effect. True False

Answer 62

True

Question 63

A ___________ curve shows larger increases in performance during early practice trials than in later trials. a. Linear b. Negatively accelerating c. S-shaped d. Positively accelerating

Answer 63

B

Question 64

The performance of a skill in a new situation or a variation of a practiced skill is the hallmark of a: a. Performance test b. Practice observation c. Retention test d. Transfer test

Answer 64

D

Question 65

Use of a transfer test evaluates this performance characteristic associated with motor skill learning: a. Adaptability b. Consistency c. Improvement d. Persistence

Answer 65

A

Question 66

Which retention measure informs the learner as to how much his or her performance has changed over the retention interval relative to the change in the original learning? a. savings score b. absolute score c. percentage score d. difference score

Answer 66

C

Question 67

One of the reasons for negative transfer is the initial cognitive confusion that occurs when a person must make a different movement in a familiar environmental context. True False

Answer 67

True

Question 68

Transfer tests in motor learning research do not assess performance of: a. A novel variation of the practiced skill b. A different, although related, skill than was practiced c. The practiced skill one day after practice ends d. The practiced skill in a new situation

Answer 68

C

Question 69

We can historically trace the view that transfer occurs because of the similar characteristics of two skills to the ________ theory.

Answer 69

Identical elements

Question 70

The __________ theory states that the primary reason for positive transfer between two motor skills is the similarity of the cognitive processes required by the skills.

Answer 70

Transfer-appropriate processing

Question 71

Explain the inverted you hypothesis and explain each of the three zones of it and how they affect performance.

Answer 71

low arousal(left third of inverted U): At low levels of arousal, performance tends to be poor because individuals might lack the motivation to perform and may focus on irrelevant stimuli. Moderate arousal(middle of the Inverted U): At moderate levels of arousal, individuals perform at their best because they are sufficiently energized and focused but not stressed High arousal(Right side of Inverted U): At high arousal level, performance deteriorates because individuals feel anxious/overwhelmed and lose focus on task-relevant stimuli