Motor Skills Classification Chapter 1

Study Notes

Motor Skills/Actions

Activities requiring voluntary control over body movements to achieve specific goals.

Characteristics of Motor Skills

Goal-oriented in nature.
Movements are voluntary rather than reflexive.
Involve the use of body and limb movements.
Skills must be learned or relearned for mastery.

Movements

Specific patterns of motion involving joints and body segments to accomplish action objectives.

One-Dimension Classification System

Categorizes skills based on a single characteristic with binary descriptive options.

Three One-Dimension Classification Systems

Based on:
- Size of primary musculature needed.
- Specificity of action start and end points.
- Stability of environmental context.

Size of Musculature Classification

Gross motor skills: Involve large muscle groups (e.g., walking, jumping).
Fine motor skills: Involve small muscle groups (e.g., signing a cheque, buttoning a shirt).

Specificity of Action Classification

Continuous motor skills: No distinct start/end; repetitive actions (e.g., steering a car, swimming).
Discrete motor skills: Defined start/end; single actions (e.g., flipping a switch, hitting a piano key).
Serial motor skills: Sequence of discrete movements (e.g., playing a song, typing).

Stability of Environmental Context Classification

Open motor skills: Conditions that are variable; involves movement of surfaces, objects, or people (e.g., driving, walking in crowds).
Closed motor skills: Stable conditions; little to no movement from surfaces or objects (e.g., picking up a cup, shooting free throws).

Gentile's Two-Dimensions Taxonomy

Classification system categorizing motor skills based on two dimensions: regulatory conditions and function of the action.

Regulatory Conditions

Environmental features that movements must adapt to in order to meet the action goal.

Intertrial Variability

Assesses if the regulatory conditions change or remain constant across trials of a skill.

Function of the Action

The second dimension in Gentile’s taxonomy; considers body stability or transport along with object manipulation during the task.

Description

This quiz covers the fundamental concepts of motor skills as outlined in Chapter 1. Test your knowledge on the definitions, characteristics, and classifications of motor skills and actions. Perfect for students looking to solidify their understanding of this important topic.