Motor Control and Motor Learning

Motor Control Study

• Motor control primarily studies the coordination of muscles and limbs during motor skills.

Focus of Motor Learning

• Motor learning focuses on acquiring and refining motor skills.

Control of Human Movement Skills

• Human movement skills are controlled via coordinated actions of the neuromuscular system.

Variables Inhibiting Skill Acquisition

• Variables inhibiting skill acquisition include muscle fatigue and improper practice.

Defining Learning in Motor Behavior

• Learning in motor behavior is defined as a relatively permanent change due to practice.

Defining Performance

• Performance refers to the execution of an act or skill.

Defining Motor Skills

• Motor skills must be result-oriented and learned.

Movements and Actions

• A many-to-one relationship between movements and actions means different movements can achieve the same goal.

Neuromotor Processes

• Neuromotor processes focus on efficient and refined movement execution.

Example of Continuous Motor Skill

• Steering a car exemplifies a continuous motor skill.

Performance of Closed Motor Skills

• Closed motor skills are performed in stationary settings.

Intertrial Variability

• Intertrial variability refers to variations in skill context across attempts.

Object Manipulation

• Object manipulation involves maintaining or changing positions of objects.

Influences on Individual Motor Skills

• Individual differences in motor skills are influenced by heredity and environment.

Normal Distribution

• The concept of normal distribution suggests most individuals cluster near average trait levels.

Defining Motor Abilities

• Motor abilities are stable and enduring.

Specificity Hypothesis

• The specificity hypothesis suggests abilities are independent of each other.

Task Analysis

• Task analysis helps identify underlying abilities required for skill performance.

Newell's Motor Learning Triangle

• Newell's Motor Learning Triangle emphasizes the interaction of individual, task, and environmental factors in skill performance.

Components of Newell's Triangle

• Motivation is not a component of Newell's triangle.

Influence on Motor Skill Performance

• According to Newell's model, motor skill performance is influenced by a dynamic interplay of constraints from individual, task, and the environment.

Constraints in Newell's Model

• Newell's model identifies task, environmental, and individual constraints.

Task Constraints

• Rules of a sport are an example of a task constraint in motor learning.

Role of Newell's Triangle

• Newell's triangle assists practitioners by providing a framework to analyze and adapt to the dynamic interaction of constraints.

Implications of Newell's Triangle

• A practical implication of Newell's triangle demonstrates the adaptability required for motor skill acquisition.

Athlete Use of Affordances

• Athletes use affordances during performance by perceiving and utilizing environmental properties for effective actions.

Direct Perception

• The concept of direct perception is illustrated by a child recognizing that a small gap in a fence allows them to pass through.

Optic Flow in Driving

• Optic flow helps drivers gauge the speed and direction of surrounding vehicles.

Affordances in Sports

• In sports, affordances improve decision-making by enabling athletes to recognize opportunities for action relative to their abilities.

Ecological Approach

• An example of the ecological approach in daily life; judging whether a chair is the right height for sitting based on leg length.

Action Preparation

• Action preparation involves the process between action intention and initiation of movement.

Kinesthetic Sense

• The kinesthetic sense defines the ability to judge where limbs are in space.

Perception in Ecological Approach

• Perception in the ecological approach is an active process where sensory information is organized and interpreted.

Sensory Receptors in Vision

• Photoreceptors are the sensory receptors that detect light during vision.

Sensory Transduction

• Sensory transduction involves the conversion of sensory stimuli into electrochemical signals.

Recognizing Joint Movement

• Proprioception helps us recognize joint movement.

Information Provided by Optic Flow

• Optic flow provides information on the rate of movement through an environment.

Perception-Action Coupling

• Adjusting stepping patterns based on perceived time-to-contact exemplifies perception-action coupling.

Affordance

• An affordance is a quality offering potential action relative to the perceiver.

Reaction Time

• Reaction time (RT) defines an index of preparation required to perform an action.

Hick's Law Impact on Reaction Time

• Reaction Time (RT) decreases by decreasing the number of response choices.

Psychological Refractory Period

• Psychological refractory period (PRP) leads to delay in responding to a second stimulus.

Influences on Reaction Time

• Movement accuracy demands influence reaction time.

Stimulus-Response Compatibility

• Stimulus-response compatibility represents the spatial or logical relationship between stimuli and responses.

Depth Perception

• Depth perception enables judgment of object distance and three-dimensional structure.

Affordances

• The term "affordances" refers to the action possibilities offered by the environment.

Affordances in Action

• Judging the climbability of stairs based on leg length exemplifies affordances in action.

Role of Optic Array

• The optic array provides all visual information available at a point of observation.

Perception and Action

• Perception and action are linked in affordances by realizing action opportunities in the environment.

Attention as a Resource

• Attention is characterized as a limited and flexible resource.

"Bottleneck Theory"

• The "bottleneck theory" of attention proposes information flow is impeded by a filter.

Kahneman's Attention Theory

• According to Kahneman's Attention Theory, attention allocation is influenced by enduring dispositions and momentary intentions.

Cue Utilization Hypothesis

• The cue utilization hypothesis suggests focus narrows as arousal approaches optimal levels.

Intentional Selective Attention

• A batter focusing on the pitcher's release of the ball exemplifies intentional selective attention.

Attention Following Vision

• Attention frequently follows vision where the eyes are directed.

"Quiet Eye"

• "Quiet Eye" refers to the final fixation before movement initiation in elite performers.

Attentional Focus for Archery

• An attentional focus appropriate for closed skills like archery is narrow and external.

Correct Attentional Focus

• Learners maintain the correct attentional focus by encouraging external focus on task-relevant information.

Kahneman's Attention Theory

• According to Kahneman's Attention Theory ensure completion of at least one task for allocating resources .

Gaze Behavior of Golfers

• Elite golfers differ in their gaze behavior from less skilled golfers; they hold their gaze steady for longer durations.

Motor control studies muscle and limb coordination during motor skills. Motor learning focuses on skill acquisition and refinement. Human movement skills are controlled by the neuromuscular system. Learning is a relatively permanent change due to practice.