Motor Skill Definitions

Question 1

Motor skills

Answer 1

Activities or tasks that require voluntary head, body and/or limb movement to achieve a purpose or goal
Ex) bending forward not skill, touching toes is

Question 2

Motor learning

Answer 2

• acquisition of motor skills
• performance enhancement of learned or highly experienced motor skills (improvement)
• reacquisition of skills that are difficult to perform or cannot be performed due to injury, disease, etc

Question 3

Motor control

Answer 3

How the neuromuscular system functions to enable coordinated movements of the muscles and limbs during a motor skill

Question 4

Motor development

Answer 4

The study of human development from infancy to old age with specific interest in issues related to either motor learning or motor control

Question 5

What factors influence motor skill learning and performance

Answer 5

The person
The skill (difficulty level)
The environment (completion vs practice, spectators, pressure, playing surface, weather)

Question 6

How does the person influence motor skill learning and performance

Answer 6

• what they bring to table
• motor abilities, genetics, past experiences, desire, attention span, movement intelligence, injury, etc

Question 7

Skills

Answer 7

Tasks or activities that have specific goals
- motor skills vs cognitive skills

Question 8

Actions

Answer 8

Synonymous with motor skills

Question 9

Movements

Answer 9

• behavioural characteristics of a specific limb or combination of limbs
• movements make up action

Question 10

Why distinguish movements from skills

Answer 10

1. People learn movements to learn or relearn motor skills
2. People adapt movement characteristics to achieve common action goal
3. Motor skill performance and movements are evaluated with different types of measures