Midterm 1 Flashcards
Motor learning involves the study of
-acquiring new motor skills
-performance enhancement
-reacquisition of skills following inquiry, disease, and the like
Motor control involves the study of
How the neuromuscular system functions to activate and coordinate the mm and limbs involved in the performance of a motor skill
-while learning a new skill
-while performing a well learned skill
Motor dev involves study of
Motor behaviour and human development throughout lifespan
Three influences on how we perform a motor skill
- The person
- The skill
- Performance environment
What are skills
Tasks or activities that have specific goals to achieve
-require voluntary control over movements of joints and body segments
What are actions
Term used synonymously termed motor skills
Characteristics of skills and actions
- There’s a goal to achieve
- Types of motor skills of interest are performed voluntarily
- Motor skills require movement of joints and body segments to accomplish task goals
- Skills need to be learned or relearned
What are movements
Specific patterns of motion among joints and body segments
What are neuromotor processes
How nervous system controls movements and actions
Explain why we distinguish actions, movements, and neuromotor processes
-ppl initially learn to achieve action goals
-ppl use movements to discover the best movement to accomplish the action goal
-ppl modify neuromotor processes by refining movement and making it more efficient
- not everyone can accomplish action goal using same movement pattern
-diff measures are used to evaluate actions, movements, and neuromotor processes
Why do we classify motor skills
-provides basis for identifying similarities and differences among skills
- helps identify demands different skills place on performer
- provides basis for developing principles related to performing and learning motor skills
Gross motor skills
Require use of large musculature to achieve goal of the skill
Ex: walk, jump
Fine motor skills
Require control of small muscles to achieve goal of skill
Ex: skills involving hand eye coordination
Discrete motor skills
Specified beginning and end points, usually require simple movement
Ex: flipping a light switch
Continuous motor skills
Arbitrary movement beginning and end points; usually involve repetitive movements
Ex: steering car
Serial motor skills
Involve continuous series of discrete movements
Ex: shifting gears in stick shift
Environmental context
Physical location in which a skill is performed
- supporting surface
- objects involved
- other ppl or animals
Closed motor skills
Stationary supporting surface, object, or other ppl/animal; performer determines when to start the action
Ex: picking up cup while sitting at table
Open motor skills
Performed in an environment that supports surfaces, objects, or other ppl or animals are in motion; environmental context in motion determines when to start the action
Ex: catching a thrown ball
Regulatory conditions
Features of environmental context to which movements must conform to achieve action goal
- regulate spatial and temporal aspects of the movement as well as forces that underlie these characteristics
Non regulatory conditions
Features of environment that have no influence or only an indirect influence on movement characteristics
Intertrial variability
variations in regulatory conditions associated w performance of a skill change or stay from one trial to next
Ex: grocery store layout
Stationary regulatory conditions - no intertrial variability
-free throws
-walking in uncluttered hall
Stationary regulatory conditions - intertrial variability
- golf shots
- taking several sips of water from same glass