Motor Learning 1

Question 1

What is a motor skill? (Biomechanical definition)

Answer 1

• A motor activity with a specific goal.
• Is objective
• Is voluntary
• Needs to be learnt through practice

Question 2

What is the difference between a motor action and skill?

Answer 2

Same thing

Question 3

What is ‘skill’? (general definition)

Answer 3

A degree of mastery in performing a task

Question 4

What are the three main criteria for assessing motor skill?

Answer 4

• Consistent achievement of goal
• Success under different conditions
• Efficiency

Question 5

What is the 1D Classification of a ‘Skill’? Give examples

Answer 5

With respect to the opposite ends of a characteristic feature, e.g.

• gross vs fine
• continuous vs discrete
• open vs closed

Question 6

What is the difference between a gross and fine motor skill?

Answer 6

Gross involves larger muscles and is less sensitive and accurate. Fine is small muscles and very precise

Question 7

What is the difference between a continuous and discrete motor skill?

Answer 7

Continuous: Cyclical, no clear beginning or end
Discrete: Single defined action with beginning and end

Question 8

What is the difference between an open and closed motor skill?

Answer 8

Open: changing, unpredictable environment
Closed: unchanging, predictable environment

Question 9

What is the most common 2D classification of skill?

Answer 9

Gentile’s Taxonomy

Question 10

What is the Y and X axis of Gentile’s Taxonomy?

Answer 10

X axis: ‘Action Function’

Y Axis: ‘Environmental Context

Question 11

What are the subdivisions within the ‘Environmental context’ of Gentile’s Taxonomy?

Answer 11

In motion vs stationary conditions, each with or without inter-trial variability

Question 12

What are the subdivisions within the ‘Action function’ of Gentile’s taxonomy?

Answer 12

Body stability, and Body Transport, each with or without object manipulation

Question 13

What is the environmental context of stationary conditions with no intertrial variability in Gentile’s Taxonomy?

Answer 13

Environment is not moving or changing, and stays the same every trial

Question 14

What is the environmental context of stationary conditions with intertrial variability in Gentile’s Taxonomy? give example

Answer 14

Environment is not moving or changing WITHIN the trial, but will change between every trial. e.g. dart board stationary but changing position relative to you after every throw

Question 15

What is the environmental context of in-motion conditions with no intertrial variability in Gentile’s Taxonomy? Give example

Answer 15

Environment is moving and changing in the same way every trial e.g. dartboard is moving left to right at a constant speed

Question 16

What is the environmental context of in-motion conditions with intertrial variability in Gentile’s Taxonomy?

Answer 16

Environment is moving and changing in different ways each trial e.g. dartboard is moving but speed increases or decreases every throw

Question 17

What is the action function of Body stability with no object in Gentile’s Taxonomy?

Answer 17

You are staying in one spot, and no object is being manipulated (are you serious man)

Question 18

What is the action function of body stability with no object in Gentile’s Taxonomy? give example

Answer 18

staying in one spot, but manipulating an object, e.g. juggling

Question 19

what is the action function of body transport with no object manipulation in Gentile’s Taxonomy? Give examples

Answer 19

The body is in motion but is not manipulating an object. E.g. running

Question 20

What is the action function of body transort with object manipulation in Gentile’s Taxonomy? give examples

Answer 20

Body is in motion while manipulating an objectm, e.g. running and dribbling a basket ball

Question 21

How could you use the 1D skill classification to improve baseball batting?

Answer 21

Moving from closed to more open setting: e.g.

• Ball at fixed height tee
• Ball at different height tee
• Ball from pitching machine
• Ball from real game conditions

Question 22

How could you use the 2D skill classification to improve baseball batting?

Answer 22

Baseball batting is always body stability with object manipulation, so you can progressively move through environmental context from stationary to in motion, and from without inter trial variability to with.

Question 23

How could you measure the motor performance of the following motor skills?

• Long jump
• Golf putt
• Pistol shooting
• ACL Rehab Running

Answer 23

• Long jump: distance, GRF
• Golf Putt: accuracy, club movement, body posture
• Pistol shooting: accuracy, EMG activation, head position/movement
• Rehab running: pain level, speed, distance, knee moments, coordination

Question 24

What is the difference between performance outcome vs performance production?

Answer 24

Outcome: what you achieved
Production: how you achieved it

Question 25

What is 'error'?

Answer 25

Deviation from the desired goal

Question 26

What are the two components of error?

Answer 26

Accuracy (spatial, temporal or both) | Consistency

Question 27

What is absolute error? Definition and formula

Answer 27

Magnitude of error across all repetitions. Average of the sum of all *absolute* values of error

Question 28

What is constant error? Definition and formula

Answer 28

Direction of error. Square root of the average of all real values of error

Question 29

What is the variable error? Definition and formula

Answer 29

Performance consistency. Square root of the average of the squared difference between the result of the attempt and the average result.

Question 30

Define motor learning and give a reference

Answer 30

A change in the capability of a person to perform a skill that must be inferred from a relatively permanent improvement in performance as a result of practice or experience (Magill and Anderson 2014)

Question 31

Differentiate between Motor Performance (P) and Motor Learning (L)

Answer 31

P: Observable, L: Inferred P: Temporary, L: Permanent-ish P: May not be due to practice, L: Due to practice P: May be influenced by performance variables, L: Not influenced by performance variables.

Question 32

What are the 6 fundamental performance characteristics of skill learning?

Answer 32

- Improvement - Consistency - Stability (reduced impact of internal and external perturbations - Persistence (long lasting improvement) - Adaptability (can be done in different scenarios) - Reduction of attention demand

Question 33

What are the 4 typical trends of learning curves for performance and error?

Answer 33

- Linear - Negatively Accelerated - Positively accelerated - S-shaped Error would point down. Performance would point up.

Question 34

What is a retention test?

Answer 34

Observing performance after a period of time to determine the degree of persistence

Question 35

What is a transfer test?

Answer 35

Observing performance after under novel situations (to induce adaptation)

Question 36

What is a dual task test?

Answer 36

Observing changes in attention demands, when performing two tasks at once

Question 37

What is the Fitt and Posner 3 stage model of learning?

Answer 37

- Cognitive stage - Associative stage - Autonomous stage

Question 38

What is the cognitive stage of Fitt and Posner's motor learning model???? pls respond

Answer 38

Focusing on what to do, how to do it, and absorbing external feedback from instructor. Focus on cognitive objectives

Question 39

What is the associative stage of Fitt and Posner's motor learning model?

Answer 39

- You have ok basic mechanics - You are improving success and consistency - You can recognise your own errors

Question 40

What is the autonomous stage of Fitt and Posner's motor learning model?

Answer 40

Automaticity in both execution and error correction, No need to think. Able to multitask.

Question 41

What changes apart from performance in motor learning?

Answer 41

- Neuromuscular activation - Energy Cost - Error Correction - Visual selective attention - Conscious attion demand - Brain activity