L9A: Motor Programs

Question 1

Answer 1

Action

Perception

Question 2

Answer 2

d

Question 3

Answer 3

c

Question 4

Question 5

What is the Definition of a “motor program”?

Answer 5

i) pre-structured set of neural commands,

ii) organized in advance, & capable of producing movement

iii) without influence of feedback

Question 6

Is a motor program open or closed loop?

Answer 6

The movement is carried out open-loop until enough time passed to allow closed-loop (feedback) processes to operate.

Once this “set of commands” is sent (i.e., the motor program), it cannot easily be stopped or fundamentally altered for short period of time

Question 7

What are the executive and effector?

Answer 7

Question 8

What are the Four main types of empirical (research) that
support the existence of motor programs

Answer 8

1) RT and Movement complexity:
pre-structuring of movement in advance

2) Inhibiting anticipatory actions:
once sent, motor program continues open-loop

3) Triphasic EMG pattern and movement blocking:
Movement ‘appears’ despite a change in conditions
and feedback (also shown in deafferented cases)

4) RT and Startle effects:
A prepared movement gets “kicked out” when startled

Question 9

1) Movement complexity

What event should have the slowest RTs?
100m sprint or 100m hurdles?

Answer 9

Hurdles

Question 10

RECALL: Movement Complexity

Answer 10

Question 11

What are the determinants of
Movement complexity?

Answer 11

components, difficulty, & duration

Question 12

What does movement complexity help us conclude about Motor Programs?

Answer 12

Whole movements were programmed before initiation, giving support to the idea of a prestructured “motor program” .

Question 13

How does Inhibiting anticipatory actions support the existence of motor programs?

Answer 13

In baseball batting, there’s evidence that a “prepackaged action” < step & swing –trunk & shoulders >, once initiated cannot be inhibited

evidence that motor programs need to run their course

Question 14

Watch Lecture

Answer 14

• Was there a “point of no return” that once sent, despite evidence to the contrary, the “program” had to run it’s course?
• When given enough time in advance, was there evidence that the motor program had not yet been sent?

Question 15

Answer 15

Question 16

How do we estimate the Point-of-no-Return?

Answer 16

Question 17

If we know error at stopping at 10 o’clock, on normal
trials, we can use this to get better estimate of PONR

Answer 17

Question 18

What is the Point-of-no-Return?

Answer 18

The ‘point of no return’ (PONR) is thought to be the point when the motor program is released

• During the anticipatory period, you have selected a motor program and you are waiting to initiate it
• After the PONR, your body executes the motor program in open-loop manner
• It is possible to stop or alter a motor program, but that requires slow, closed-loop control

Question 19

Summary, 9a

Answer 19