Skill Aquisition

Question 1

what is a skill?

Answer 1

leaned ability to bring about predetermined results with a maximum of certainty, often with a maximum outlay of time or energy, or both

Question 2

what are the three types of skills?

Answer 2

cognitive
perceptual
motor

Question 3

what is a cognitive skill?

Answer 3

involving primarily the brain e.g. reading

Question 4

what is a perceptual skill?

Answer 4

involving how an individual interprets stimuli

Question 5

what is a motor skill?

Answer 5

involving physical movement

Question 6

Muscular involvement continuum

Answer 6

GROSS - FINE

Gross:
- strength, endurance and power (e.g. netball pass)

Fine:
- speed, accuracy and efficiency (e.g. badminton serve)

Question 7

Environmental Continuum

Answer 7

OPEN - CLOSED

Open:
- affected by the environment, perceptual skills, externally-paced (e.g. football goal keeper save in open play)

Closed:
- stable, predictable environment (e.g. shot putt)

Question 8

Continuity continuum

Answer 8

DISCRETE - SERIAL - CONTINUOUS

Discrete:
- clear beginning and end, no linkage to other skills (e.g. javelin throw)

Serial:
- number of discrete skills, linked together in phases (e.g. triple jump)

Continuous:
- cannot be split up into sub-routines, last a relatively long time (e.g. 10km run)

Question 9

Pacing continuum

Answer 9

EXTERNALLY-PACED - SELF-PACED

Externally:
- speed and precision are controlled by the environment, opposition or weather (e.g.sailing)

Self:
- rate of action and start is controlled by the performer (e.g. deadlift)

Question 10

Difficulty continuum

Answer 10

SIMPLE - COMPLEX

Simple:
- few decisions made, few subroutines, little concentration needed (e.g. passing the ball in training)

Complex:
- complicated, lots of concentration needed, lots of subroutines (e.g. passing the ball in a game situation)

Question 11

Organizational continuum

Answer 11

LOW ORGANISATION - HIGH ORGANISATION

Low:
- uncomplicated, easily split-up, more step-by-step (e.g. long jump)

High:
- complex, subroutines overlap or closely linked, require more concentration (e.g. cycling)

Question 12

What is proactive transfer?

Answer 12

a transfer which influences a skill, yet to be learned

Question 13

What is retroactive transfer?

Answer 13

when a skill influences one that you have already learned

Question 14

What is postive transfer?

Answer 14

when a skill enhances the learning or performance in another skill

Question 15

What is negative transfer?

Answer 15

transfer which may hinder the learning or performance of another skill so needs eliminating. It leads to the formation of poor habits and inhibits skill learning

Question 16

What is bilateral transfer?

Answer 16

the encouragement of limb to limb transfer (e.g. right to left foot)

Question 17

Negatives of transfers?

Question 18

how to reduce the negative effects of transfers?

Question 19

what are the methods of presenting practice?

Answer 19

part
whole
whole-part-whole
progressive-part

Question 20

what are the types of practice?

Answer 20

massed
varied
distributed
fixed
mental rehearsal

Question 21

what is part practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 21

• individual elements of a skill split up and practiced separately

+ good for beginners
+ low organizational/serial skills
+ dangerous skills

• needs whole skill demonstrated first
• time consuming
• no kinaesthesis

Question 22

what is whole practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 22

• whole action repeated

+ experienced athletes
+ high-organizational skills
+ quick
+ builds kinaesthesis

• dangerous skills are unsuitable
• not for beginners

Question 23

what is whole-part-whole practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 23

• whole action is performed, then single elements are practiced and then the whole action is performed again

+ builds kinaesthesis
+ easy to target weaknesses in subroutines
+ relatively quick

• dangerous as the whole action is performed initially
• not suitable for highly organized skills

Question 24

what is progressive part practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 24

• isolating parts then linking more parts together over time

+ good for serial skills
+ reduces overload
+ builds motor programmes quickly
+ builds flow

• time consuming
• demotivating

Question 25

what is massed practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 25

• continued practice period with little rest intervals

+ builds habitual response
+ good for discrete skills

• needs lots of motivation
• boring/tiring
• poor concentration can lead to poor habits being made

Question 26

what is distributed practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 26

• practice with rest intervals, often used for extrinsic feedback or mental rehearsal

+ time for mental and physical recovery
+ good for beginners
+ suitable for dangerous skills

• time consuming
• risk of negative transfer from other skills or sports techniques

Question 27

what is fixed practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 27

• stable and unchanging environment

+ builds habitual response
+ good for closed skills
+ overlearning builds schema

• needs have lots of fitness
• boring/tiring

Question 28

what is varied practice? (pros and cons)

Answer 28

• changing environment

+ builds schema
+ open skills suitable
+ range of situations

• difficult to correct/develop motor programmes

Question 29

What is mental rehearsal? (pros and cons)

Answer 29

• works through movement mentally before doing the action

+ good for beginners - builds mental picture
+ focusses attention
+ builds confidence
+ helps emotional control and arousal