Motor Control Theories and Techniques Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What does the Generalised Motor Program theory suggest about asymmetric tasks?

They do not need any program for execution.

They require the same single program as symmetric tasks.

There are separate/adapted programs for asymmetric tasks. (correct)

Asymmetric tasks are easier than symmetric tasks.

Which type of feedback is considered critical in learning asymmetric coordination?

Auditory Feedback

Motor Feedback

Tactile Feedback

Visual Feedback (correct)

According to Dynamical Systems Theory, what characterizes symmetric movements?

They are natural ‘attractor states’. (correct)

They can only be performed at low speeds.

They are complicated and difficult to learn.

They require special training to master.

What is the recommended initial focus when teaching speed-accuracy skills?

Prioritize accuracy over speed. Signup and view all the answers

Which element does NOT describe the characteristics of learning according to the content?

Instability Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of theories in motor control?

To describe a class of observations and predict outcomes Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes coordination in motor control?

The patterning of movements relative to environmental factors Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'degrees of freedom' refer to in the context of motor control?

The number of independent components within a system Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes closed loop control in motor systems?

Utilizes sensory feedback for movement adjustment Signup and view all the answers

Which example illustrates open loop control?

Performing a pre-planned skill in a sport Signup and view all the answers

What is crucial for developing the content of verbal instruction?

Correct identification of critical features Signup and view all the answers

What type of verbal instructions do beginner learners typically respond better to?

More general instructions Signup and view all the answers

Which process involves the performer interpreting sensory information about external conditions?

Perceptual processes Signup and view all the answers

Why is focusing on critical features important during instruction?

It enhances the performance and learning of the skill. Signup and view all the answers

What affects the quantity of verbal instruction given to a learner?

Learner's attentional capacity and developmental limitations Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best represents effective verbal instruction?

Rotate your hips 45 degrees Signup and view all the answers

What is an essential role of movement instructors in skill learning?

To promote the learning of mental operations for physical actions Signup and view all the answers

Which statement reflects a misconception about verbal instructions?

All learners need the same type of instruction. Signup and view all the answers

What does practice variability refer to in motor skill learning?

The variety of movement and context characteristics experienced during practice Signup and view all the answers

Which concept emphasizes the importance of experiencing variations of conditions in motor learning?

Gentile’s model Signup and view all the answers

How does practice organization influence motor skill learning?

It affects the rate, stability, and amount of learning Signup and view all the answers

According to schema theory, what is critical for successful future performance?

The amount of movement variability experienced Signup and view all the answers

What is a primary benefit of practice variability in skill performance?

It enhances performance in completely new conditions Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary benefit of practice variability according to the practice variability hypothesis?

It allows for better transfer of skills across contexts. Signup and view all the answers

In which context does intentional remembering occur?

When specific environmental characteristics need to be remembered. Signup and view all the answers

What outcome is typically observed in retention tests after random practice compared to blocked practice?

Better performance in retention phase. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of practice involves completing all trials of a task before moving on to the next?

Blocked practice. Signup and view all the answers

Under what condition is the transfer appropriate processing theory most effective?

When the cognitive processing demands are similar. Signup and view all the answers

What does the practice specificity hypothesis emphasize for better retention and transfer?

Similarity between practice and test settings. Signup and view all the answers

Which practice method is characterized by unpredictable order of tasks during practice?

Random practice. Signup and view all the answers

Which cognitive processing characteristic is NOT directly related to the transfer appropriate processing theory?

Specificity of practice contexts. Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of effective verbal instruction in motor skill learning?

External focus on movement outcomes Signup and view all the answers

Which component is NOT part of the observational learning subprocesses?

Imitation Signup and view all the answers

How many critical features should verbal instructions for skill learning ideally include?

Three Signup and view all the answers

In the context of observational learning, what must occur after a physical action is observed?

An enduring change to motor performance Signup and view all the answers

What should instructors be aware of when providing instructions during skill learning?

The learner's attentional capacity Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of retention in the observational learning process?

To store observed behaviors in memory Signup and view all the answers

Why should instructions be precise and succinct?

To reduce potential confusion Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the 'attention' component in observational learning?

The behaviors to which the learner must pay attention Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Week 1

Learning Outcomes cover describing and distinguishing motor learning terms, identifying factors influencing motor skill performance, describing motor skill classification, and different ways to measure motor skill performance.
Key definitions include motor learning (acquisition, enhancement, or reacquisition of motor skills), motor control (how the neuromuscular system performs motor skills), motor development (movement from infancy to adulthood), movements (characteristics of limbs in motor skills), and motor skills (voluntary control over body parts for specific goals).
Movements are distinguished from skills; multiple ways exist to achieve the same goal (motor skill). Motor skills include cognitive and perceptual domains (knowing what/how to do, measure of success, knowledge, and cognitive abilities).
Perceptual domain involves detecting and discerning sensory stimuli (how to act, measure of success).
Motor domain is about doing the skill correctly (performed in daily activities, not in isolation; measures of success include quality, speed, and range of movement)
Three components influence motor skill performance (person, task, environment).

The classification of Motor Skills

One-Dimensional Systems classify on a continuum, rather than a dichotomy
One-Dimensional categories include size of primary musculature required, stability of the environment, and temporal features of the skill.
Two-Dimensional Systems consider environmental demands and action requirements to influence motor performance.
Fine motor skills recruit small muscle groups (essential for precision, hand-eye coordination).
Gross motor skills involve large muscle groups and body movement (fundamental motor skills).

Temporal Predictability

Discrete Motor Skills have identifiable beginning and end points.
Serial Motor Skills are a series of discrete movements.
Continuous Motor Skills have arbitrary beginning and end points.

Stability of the Environment

Environmental Context is the physical location where a skill is performed (supporting surface, objects involved, other people involved).
Closed Motor Skills occur in predictable environments (surface remains constant).
Open Motor Skills occur in unpredictable environments (surface changes, objects/people move).

Closed vs. Open Motor Skills

Closed motor skills involve performing the skill when the performer is ready (self-paced skill).
Open motor skills require the performer to time movements with an external feature in the environment (externally paced skill).

Two-Dimensional Classification

The one-dimensional classification system does not always capture the complexity of many skills.
Two dimensions classification systems (Gentile's taxonomy 2000)
Environmental Demands (regulatory conditions under which skill is performed, stationary or in-motion conditions)
Action Requirements (body transport, object manipulation).
Gentile's Taxonomy guides therapists in assessing patient movement problems, and choosing appropriate activities.

Assessing/Measuring Motor Skill

Performance Outcome Measures describe the outcome or result of performing a motor skill.
Performance Production Measures evaluate how nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems function during the execution of a motor skill.

Reaction Time

Reaction Time (RT) is the time interval between a signal (stimulus) and the initiation of a response.
Simple RT - one signal, one response
Choice RT - multiple signals, each needs its own response .
Discrimination RT - multiple signals, only one requires response.

Error Measures

Absolute Error (AE) is the magnitude of error without directionality (magnitude of deviation).
Constant Error (CE) is the amount and direction of error.
Variable Error (VE) is the variability (or consistency) of performance.

Kinematic Measures

Kinematic measures describe movement without reference to force or mass.
Displacement is the change in spatial position over time
Velocity is the rate of change in spatial position.
Acceleration is the rate of change in velocity.

Week 2

The Neural Basis of Motor Control covers the nervous system.
The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of the brain and spinal cord.
The peripheral nervous system (PNS) connects the CNS to the rest of the body.
Neurons are the fundamental unit of the nervous system; cell body (soma), dendrites, axon.
Synapses are junctions where neurons communicate.
Types of neurons include sensory, motor, and interneurons.
Action potential is the electrical signal that transmits information along neurons.
Neurons communicate via chemical signals at synapses.
CNS anatomy, including brain functions (conscious/unconscious control), connections to the body, and structures of the brain (neurons, glial cells, brainstem, cerebellum, cerebrum).

Week 3

Sensory components cover touch and proprioception, specifically Mechanoreceptors.
Mechanoreceptors provide the CNS with information about pain, temperature, and movement; Tactile feedback significantly influences fine motor skills (accuracy, consistency, timing, and estimates of distance).

Proprioception

Proprioception refers to feedback from different parts of the body that allows us to sense our body’s position and movement; Limbs and joint receptors detect muscle tension and changes in muscle length
Muscle Spindles detect changes in muscle length.
Golgi Tendon Organs sense muscle tension, protective against injury.
Joint Receptors detect joint position and motion

Visual System - Vision

Cornea: Transparent, dome-shaped front part that helps focus light; Pupil: Central opening that controls light entry; Iris: Surrounds the pupil, controls its size, gives eye color; Lens: Flexible, adjusts shape to focus light onto the retina; Retina: Receives light; Optic Nerve: Transmits signals to the brain; Image processing in the visual cortex
Central vision: Middle 2-5 degrees, for object size, shape, and distance; Peripheral vision broader, for limb movement and spatial features
Monocular Vision: Vision by one eye; Binocular vision: Vision by both eyes

Week 4

Attention is cognitive processing for selectively focusing on specific information while ignoring other stimuli.
Attention has characteristics including limited capacity, selective focus, and divisible attention.
Attention theories include: Bottleneck Theory, Central Resource Capacity Theory, and Multiple Resource Theory.
Kahneman’s Attention Theory addresses allocation of attention based on task demands.
Arousal levels influence the availability of attentional resources.
Broad attention involves a wide range of information, while narrow attention focuses on specific details; Focusing on specific details may lead to better performance in certain tasks.
Automaticity is the ability to perform tasks with minimal conscious effort.

Week 5

Traditional Theories of Motor Learning and Skill Acquisition explain that learning is a change in a person’s ability to perform a skill.
This change is primarily due to practice or experience.
Association Theories describe how learning happens.
Response Programming translates a decision into motor commands.
Open-loop control involves sending movement commands without requiring feedback from the environment, while closed-loop control involves feedback.

Week 6

Neurocomputational Theories of Motor Control are based on the idea that motor control processes are based on the brain using internal models.
Motor programs are a set of rules that govern a specific class of actions.
Schema Theory is based on the premise that memory uses schemas to make decisions in similar situations.
Dynamical systems theory considers motor control arises from various interacting factors within and outside the body, rather than a linear process. It is not about a system, rather the overall interaction between all factors, that cause an output.

Week 7

Verbal instructions to facilitate motor learning.
Verbal instruction components include content (critical features), quantity, precision, and focus, and verbal cues can guide learners' attention to specific aspects of a skill.
Demonstration is a powerful tool for learning, often providing more information than verbal cues.

Week 9

Practice variability is the difference in movement and context characteristics during practice.
Variability can improve learning in motor skills.
Practice variability can involve variation in the task, environment, the skill performed, and the level of practice difficulty.
Contextual interference occurs when a specific task is varied between practice trials to allow the learner to develop more elaborate and robust representations.

Week 10

Motor performance changes with age and injury, requiring changes in motor skill learning practices.
Aging impacts both how we perform and how we learn motor skills.
Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change throughout our life, resulting in a reorganisation of neural circuits, in the brain.
Physical and cognitive functions decline with age.

Week 11 & 12

The topics of memory, forgetting, and the constraints of motor performance are discussed in more detail
The theory of ecological dynamics is introduced – a holistic approach where motor learning is adaptive and influenced by the environment, considering task demands, performers, and perception.
Key components that shape motor skill learning (and are affected by age and injury) include individual, task, and environmental factors
These constraints interrelate dynamically during performance and athletes adapt to changing conditions (adaptive reactions).

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Description

Test your understanding of various motor control theories, feedback types in asymmetric coordination, and the principles of speed-accuracy skills. This quiz covers key concepts from generalized motor programs to open and closed loop control systems, focusing on how these theories apply to learning and coordination. Perfect for students studying motor learning and control.