Lecture 4

Question 1

stages of processing

Answer 1

1. Input
2. Stimulus identification
3. Response selection
4. Movement programming
5. Output

Question 2

stimulus identification

Answer 2

1. Analyze input- vision, audition, touch, kinesthesis, and smell
2. Assembling these many components- visual info goes to the correct place
3. Patterns of movement are detected

Question 3

response selection

Answer 3

1. Provided info about the environment
2. We then decide what response to make given the environment
   - essentially is a transition process between sensory input and the movement output

Question 4

organization of the motor system

Answer 4

• lower-level mechanisms in the brain-stem and spinal cord are readied for action
• motor program that drives the movement output is retrieved and organized
• reaction time (RT) is used to measure this process in a research setting
• reaction time is how long it takes someone to react to a stimulus

Question 5

reaction time

Answer 5

• performance measure for the speed and effectiveness of decision making
• demonstrates how quickly humans are able to process and respond to a stimuli
• reaction time measured: response time = reaction time and movement time

Question 6

decision making

Answer 6

• what is the measure of decision making? = reaction time
• factors that may influence your decision making
  1. The number of possible responses
• single possibility ex) see the light- press a button (no choices)
• multiple possibilities ex) driving a car- the number of evasive driving strategies possible

Question 7

measuring factors of decision making

Answer 7

a) Simple reaction time
- one response choice
b) Choice reaction time
- more than one response choice
- S-R time
- the time required to detect and recognize the stimulus, and initiate the proper response
- more options= longer reaction time

Question 8

Hicks law

Answer 8

-linear relationship between choice RT and the # of S-R options
-logarithmic equation
-in theory, if you have double the choices it doubles your reaction time
Is it that simple?
compatibility of S-R: the extent to which the stimulus and the response it evokes are connected in an intuitive way
ex) to make a right turn when driving, you turn the wheel to the right
ex) to turn right when sailing, the sailor must turn the tiller to the left
-which example takes more time? Why?

Question 9

practice

Answer 9

• the higher the amount of practice, reaction time will get faster. Why? More efficient synapses
• with high amount of practice, extremely skilled learners can produce RTs that approach automatic processing ex) high performance athletes, surgeons, professional dancers, concert musicians

Question 10

anticipation

Answer 10

• highly skilled performers are able to predict behavior/consequences
• know what stimuli may occur, where and when they will occur
• illusion of “all the time they need”

Question 11

types of anticipation

Answer 11

1. spatial- when we know where something is going to occur (badminton)
2. Temporal- knowing when something is going to occur
   Benefits: allows us to decrease our reaction time, allows us response effectively and efficiently = increase RT
   Cost: what happens may not be what we anticipated, take alternative method= decrease RT

Question 12

three memory systems involved in movement control

Answer 12

1. short term sensory store
2. short-term memory
3. long term memory

Question 13

short term sensory store

Answer 13

1. Short term sensory store (STSS)
   - retain sensory info for a short period of time
   - holds info for only 1 second

Question 14

short term memory

Answer 14

2. Short-term memory (STM)
   - working memory
   - repetition/rehearsal
   - if you don’t study it, it will go away

Question 15

long term memory

Answer 15

3. Long term memory (LTM)
   - contains well learned info from over the course of a lifetime
   - storage is effortful
   - applies to movement skills as well
   - needs repetition, practice, and correcting
   - info in LTM is thought to be coded and connected to other info such as imagery, sounds, smells

Question 16

pathway of memories

Answer 16

Info task environment body  short term sensory store short term memory 3: practice, repetition, rehearsal long term memory