Stages Of Motor Learning

Question 1

What are the 3 stages of the Fitts and Posner 3-stage model of motor learning

Answer 1

1. Cognitive stage
2. Associative stage
3. Autonomous stage

Question 2

Cognitive stage

Answer 2

Development of basic movement pattern
- beginner focuses on solving cognitively-oriented problems
- cognitive effort required to focus of movement, feedback, & intentions
- high amount of error and variance
- might not even know they are making errors

Question 3

Associative stage

Answer 3

• works to refine performance
• less thought
• associations between environment and movements made
• fewer errors, more consistency
• refining stage: more consistent from one attempt to another

Question 4

Autonomous stage

Answer 4

• skill is almost automatic
• low variance and/or errors
• performers can detect and correct their own errors
• perform the skill without conscious thought

Question 5

What are the stages of learning from the Fitts and Posner 3 stage model

Answer 5

On a continuum
- gradual transition between stages

Question 6

What does progression through stages of the 3 stage model depend on

Answer 6

1. Skill being learned
2. Practice conditions
3. Personal characteristics of learner

Question 7

What are the characteristics of the skill being learned that can affect progression

Answer 7

Gross vs fine, open vs closed

Question 8

What are the practice conditions that progression depends on during 3 stage model

Answer 8

Feedback
Massed vs distributed
Blocked vs random

Question 9

What personal characteristics could progression of 3 stage model depend on

Answer 9

Age, type of learner, health, motivation

Question 10

What are the 2 models of motor learning

Answer 10

Fitts and Posner 3-stage model
Gentile’s 2-stage model

Question 11

What if the gentile’s 2 stage model

Answer 11

Motor learning progresses through two stages
- is presented from the perspective of the goal of the learner in each stage

Question 12

Closed skills

Answer 12

• stable/stationary
• nothing in environment changes
• involves a stationary supporting surface, object and/or other people
• performer initiates the movements

Question 13

Open skills

Answer 13

• unstable/dynamic
• environment in which supporting surfaces, objects and/or people are in motion when skill performed
• performer must time the initiation of their movements
• environment features determine when to begin

Question 14

2 conditions in open/closed skills

Answer 14

Regulatory and non-regulatory conditions

Question 15

Regulatory conditions

Answer 15

Things that directly impact your ability to complete the motor skill
Ex) size/shape of opponent, weight of object, speed/direction of object

Question 16

Non-regulatory conditions

Answer 16

Things that do not influence movement itself but may be present
Ex) colour of object, sounds in environment

Question 17

What are the 2-stages of the Gentile model

Answer 17

1. Initial stage
2. Later stage

Question 18

2 goals of the initial stage of Gentile’s model

Answer 18

1. Acquire movement coordination pattern to match regulatory conditions
2. Discriminate between regulatory and non-regulatory conditions

Question 19

3 goals of later stage of Gentile’s model

Answer 19

1. Develop capability of adapting movement pattern
2. Increase consistency
3. Improve efficiency of movement

Question 20

What does the later stage’s goals depend on

Answer 20

Depend on the type of skill being learned (open vs closed)

Question 21

What is required for later stages when it is closed skills

Answer 21

• fixation of movement patterns
• refine the movement pattern to consistently repeat the optimal action
• work toward performing the movement pattern with little to no conscious effort, and minimum physical energy

Question 22

What is required for later stages when it is an open skill

Answer 22

• diversification of movement patterns
• refine movement pattern to enable application to changing environmental context (temporal or spatial)
• become attuned to regulatory conditions modify movements to meet their constantly changing demands

Question 23

Example of early stage

Answer 23

• focus on achieving the action goal
• developing basic movement coordination pattern
• provide situations that give opportunities to discriminate between regulatory and non-regulatory

Question 24

Later stage example for closed skill

Answer 24

• practice situations similar to everyday/environment
  Ex) writing with same pen on same surface, free throws in same environment as game

Question 25

Later stage example of open skill

Answer 25

• practice vary the regulatory conditions but let others occur normally
  Ex) walk down hallway- control number of people but walk whatever speed/direction

Question 26

4 measurable performer and performance changes across stages of learning

Answer 26

1. Rate of improvement
2. Developing coordination patterns
3. Attention demands
4. Brain activity

Question 27

What type of rate of learning is typical for moor learning

Answer 27

Negatively accelerated pattern after a large improvements during early practice

Question 28

What are the changes in rate of improvement between early and late practice due to

Answer 28

The amount of possible improvement

Question 29

What is the degrees of freedom problem when developing coordination patterns

Answer 29

• learners decreases the DoF at beginning stages

Question 30

What is freezing

Answer 30

• reduces complexity of movement in order to achieve goal
• as learning progresses, joints become unfrozen and muscles operate in functional synergy

Question 31

Example of freezing in soccer

Answer 31

Initial movement showed limited knee flexion
- with practice players developed knee-hip functional synergy (resulting in increased kicking velocity)

Question 32

Changes in attention demands between cognitive stage and autonomous of Fitts and Posner

Answer 32

Early learner thinks about almost every part of performance
Skilled learners may be able to perform skill automatically

Question 33

What brain activity supports motor learning

Answer 33

Neuroplasticity
- primary motor cortex and somatosensory cortex

Question 34

As learning progresses what are changes in brain activity

Answer 34

Cortical activity reduces with automaticity

Question 35

what neural structure changes happen with learning

Answer 35

Grey matter density increases
White matter organization changes

Question 36

An expert

Answer 36

A person who is located at the extreme right end of learning stages continuum

Question 37

What characteristics do experts in all skill performance areas have in common

Answer 37

1. Amount and type of practice that resulted in expertise
2. Knowledge structure (organize concepts)
3. Use of vision

Question 38

Characteristics of amount and type of practice leading to expertise

Answer 38

Deliberate practice designed to improve specific aspect through repetition and refinement
- expertise is domain specific
- 10,000 hours of practice

Question 39

Knowledge structure similar between all experts

Answer 39

• more knowledge about movement
• different organization of knowledge (better memory of discrete events)
• faster, more accurate decisions

Question 40

Use of vision for experts

Answer 40

Search of environment faster
Select more meaningful info in a shorter amount of time (relevance, total things to consider)