LECTURE 2

Question 1

Motor Control

Answer 1

The study of neural, physical and behaviour aspects of human movement

Question 2

Motor Learning

Answer 2

The study of the processes involved in the acquisition of a motor skill and the factors that enhance or inhibit an individuals capability to perform a motor skill

Question 3

Motor development

Answer 3

The study of the products and underlying processes of motor behaviour changes across the life span

Question 4

Skills

Answer 4

The adaptation of one’s coordination patterns to produce functional and beneficial outcomes in contexts that require them.

Question 5

Elements of skills

Answer 5

Voluntary, Goal-directed, need to be learned/re-learned, requires activation/control of the limbs by perceptual motor system

Question 6

Posture

Answer 6

Relative arrangement of the body parts

Question 7

Postural Control

Answer 7

Build up posture against gravity and ensure balance is maintained

Question 8

Abilities

Answer 8

Generally, genetically predetermined general trait or capacity of the individual that effects performance

Question 9

Examples of abilities

Answer 9

Agility, strength, flexibility

Question 10

Technique

Answer 10

Any coordination pattern applied to the performance of a specific motor action

Question 11

Example of technique

Answer 11

The way the nervous system organises the different elements of the body together to move

Question 12

Environmental predictability

Answer 12

Open skills (eg. football pass) = unpredictable, variable
Closed skills (eg. bowling) = predictable, stable

Question 13

Movement precision

Answer 13

Fine motor skills (eg. playing piano)
Gross motor skills (eg. kicking)

Question 14

Categories of nature of a skill

Answer 14

Continuous, Discrete, Serial

Question 15

Continuous skill

Answer 15

Running or swimming - a skill which has no clear beginning or end in the movement

Question 16

Discrete skill

Answer 16

Throwing or catching - a single unit of activity that has a defined beginning and end

Question 17

Serial

Answer 17

Wrestling takedown or basketball layup - a group of discrete skills that make a new and complex movement

Question 18

Time constraint taxonomy

Answer 18

Self-paced skills - golf swing
Externally paced skills - hockey shot

Question 19

The field of motor control considers…

Answer 19

Nature of movement,
Motor system structures,
Processes/mechanisms
–> Anticipatory Postural Adjustments (APA’s)
–> Compensatory/ Integrative postural adjustments
–> Reaction time
–> Perceptual motor integration

Question 20

Anticipatory Postural Adjustments

Answer 20

The activation of postural muscles in anticipation BEFORE a movement

Question 21

Degrees of Freedom problem

Answer 21

How the nervous system constrains the very large number of degrees of freedom to produce coordinated movement - redundancy/abundancy

Question 22

Serial Order Problem

Answer 22

Sequencing and timing movements appropriately - eg. coach says to pick up ‘stickey hocks’ instead of saying pick up ‘hockey sticks’.

Question 23

Perceptual Motor Integration

Answer 23

Influence of perception on behaviour - for example moving rooms.

Question 24

Action slip

Answer 24

Movement error in sequencing due to inattention

Question 25

Coarticulation

Answer 25

Accurate sequence and timing of simultaneous movements in sequential tasks

Question 26

How can control be measured?

Answer 26

Electromyography (EMG)

Question 27

6 Issues in motor learning

Answer 27

Performance
Transfer
Feedback
Retention
Practice
Stages of Learning

Question 28

Phylogeny

Answer 28

Evolutionary development of a species

Question 29

Ontogeny

Answer 29

Development across a lifespan

Question 30

Developmental readiness

Answer 30

Changes throughout the lifetime which all have a flow on effect for ability to control posture.