Week 2

Question 1

What is a scientific theory?

Answer 1

An explanation that has been tested and is widely accepeted as valid

Question 2

Association theories focuses on what?

Answer 2

Focuses on the relationship between movement stimuli (information) and action by examining relatively simple movements or reflexes

Question 3

Association theories example: Basketball

Answer 3

Initial learning phase: miss a lot of shots early on often making large errors

Repetition and reinforcement: through pracitine and refine

Strengthening associations-success= positive reinforcement

Improvement over time- overtime, become more consistent and accurate

Application in games: They apply what they learned in games

Question 4

Limitation of association theories

Answer 4

Poor ability to account for movement performed in the absence of sensory feedback-open loop control- e.g walking

Sesnsory input is cut off, e.g with a cat on a treadmill but can still walk

Question 5

Neuro-maturational Theories (focus investigation is what and on who?)

Answer 5

Focused investigations on skill akquisition during the period between infancy and adolescence- during the phase of CNS maturation

Question 6

Neuro-maturational Theories example

Answer 6

Early childhood (5-8) begins learning basic tennis skills

middle (9-12): As the childs brain and nervous system mature, they start to refine their serve technique

Adolescence (age 13-18): fine tune their serve technique and andjust their strat

Question 7

Neuro-maturational Theories limitations

Answer 7

The theoretical framework was mainly based on descriptive studies since maturation could not be directly measured in those days. For
example, maturation was inferred purely by the age of the child whereas these days we
have access to x-rays and CT-scans to assess growth and development.

Human infants do not all follow a distinct pathway in their development, indicating variability that these theories do not account for. E.g children starting to walk at different ages

The role of the performance environment was never considered. This means that the influence of external factors on skill acquisition was overlooked with little to no consideration given to the influence of practice. basicially no research on them maturing into adulthood

Question 8

Information Processing Theory main idea is what?

Answer 8

skills are stored in the CNS as representations
Brain is like a computer, stores and uses everything to make movement

Question 9

Open loop control

Answer 9

Used for fast and ballisitic movements
CNS/brain selects motor program and sends movements to muscles (the process will end)

No feedback

Question 10

Closed loop control

Answer 10

Slow, more accrate movement

CNS/brain selects motor program and sends to muscle, but visual, auditory and tactile information is being processed as feedback, allowing you to adjust

Question 11

Schmits Schema theory

Answer 11

According to Schmidt, we don’t store every singlemovement program individually. Instead, we store a Generalized Motor Program (GMP).

This GMP contains the essential information needed for different classes of movements—
like balancing, jumping, and walking.

Schema Theory implies that to develop a robust schema for generating effective movements in various situations, widely variable practice is essential. For example, learning to drive a car under different conditions helps develop a
broader experience, making you a better driver who can handle new and unexpected
situations

Question 12

Fitts stage theories are what? there are 3 stages

Answer 12

1. Verbal (cognitive)
2. Associative stage
3. Autonomous stage

Question 13

what happens in stage 1? (cognitive)

Answer 13

Identify task goal
self talk
rapid performance gains
Error ridden
inefficient

Question 14

What happens in associative stage?

Answer 14

Start to associate environmental cues with actions
Achieve consistecy
Refinement
Fewer errors
can detect and correct errors

Question 15

What happens in Autonomous stage?

Answer 15

Almost automatic
subconcious control
Multitask
Minimal variability
very few errors

Question 16

Criticism of Fitts stage theory?

Answer 16

1. Limited emphasis on how sensory info might play a role in skill acquisition
2. Heavy emphasis on cognition and information processing
3. Doesnt account for fluctutations in learning trajectories with little consideration for the environment or situational factors

Question 17

Neuro-computational Theory

Answer 17

Based on anticipation of the outcome of an action is the basis for movement planning in dynamic environemnts

Acting based on an anticipated movement allows for timely CNS control

E.g goal keeper anticipates kick

Question 18

How does Neurocomputation theory happen?

Answer 18

Throught forward and inverse modelling

Question 19

Forward modelling is what?

Answer 19

The brain predicts the sensory consequence of a planned movement before it is executed

e.g, when kicking a ball you determine where you want it to go and adjust accordingly

Program to help generate predictions and refined motor commands

Question 20

what is inverse modeling?

Answer 20

Refers to the process of determining the appropriate motor commands required to achieve a desired movement outcome or goal

program where motor commands needed to achieve desired movement outcome

Question 21

Challange of Neurocomputational theory?

Answer 21

The issue of storage
Neuro theory suggest that we dont store the complete program, we condense the detail, keeping key characteristics

Question 22

What is the order of hierarchial control system?

Answer 22

Brain is at the top
CNS sends messeges to muscles and joints, recieving the sensory info from the periphery

Question 23

What is indirect perception?

Answer 23

Processing sensory information: We recieve senspry input (vision)

Interpretaing and understanding: Brain will process this info, comparing it with internal representation (stored knowoledge)

Contextualising and making sense: By integrating sensory inputs with internal models, we form a coherent undertsanding of the environment and our interactions within it

Question 24

Implications of traditional models for practice?

Answer 24

Variability of practice: Skills performed in stable, predictable conditions–> variability is not necessary
E.g: bowling, no variability needed just repetitions

Question 25

Implication of traditional models of practice (random vs blocked practice)

Answer 25

Random= emphasises cognitive processing, leading to more effective learning

Bloacked= good for novel skill, but no effect in retention or transfer

Question 26

Part task vs whole task

Answer 26

P: splitting a more complex movement into its componenets:useful for sequential movements (e.g ski)

W: movements that have highly interdependant parts should be practiced as a whole (e.g javeline throw)