Week 9 (ML) - Environmental Factor Manipulations

Question 1

What are some environmental factors influencing motor skill performance?

Answer 1

• Auditory
• Visual (lighting and background texture)
• Gravity
• Altitude (partial pressure of oxygen)
• Temperature (humidity)
• Social

Question 2

Steps to consider environmental factors when planning practice

Answer 2

1. Identify the movement goal
2. Understand the skill level of the learner
3. Account for other constraints involved
4. Identify environmental factors contributing to the performance of the movement task
5. Prioritise environmental conditions that may improve decision-making
6. Monitor the perception-action link
7. Provide affordance for new perception-action links

Question 3

What is Action Fidelity vs Functionality?

Answer 3

Fidelity
Refers to the extent to which the simulation looks, feels and sounds like the real environment
e.g. Practicing soccer dribbling in a drill that uses the same ball control techniques as in a real game scenario provides high action fidelity

Functionality
The extent to which cognitions, perceptions and actions match the performance environment
e.g. A balance board exercise to improve stability for surfing has high functionality, as it targets core stability needed in surfing, even if the actions aren’t identical

Question 4

What are some environmental constraints within surfing?

Answer 4

Wave characteristics
Weather condition
Water movement