Lecture 15

Question 1

in motor learning, what is a skill

Answer 1

a learnt ability to move more effectively and more efficiently

Question 2

learning reflects changes in what

Answer 2

changes in perceptual, cognitive and action capability

Question 3

does complex processing happen over multiple time scales

Answer 3

yes
(seconds, minutes, hours, days, months etc)

Question 4

what is exercise dependent plasticity

Answer 4

to be able to change (in the brain)

Question 5

as learning occurs what happens to the responsibility for motor control in the brain

Answer 5

gradually responsibility for motor control delegated to sub-conscious brain structures such as cerebellum, hippocampus etc

Question 6

what are the 4 aspects of exercise dependent plasticity

Answer 6

• synaptic pruning
• long term potentiation
• selective inhibition
• myelination

Question 7

what is synaptic pruning

Answer 7

unnecessary or unused synapses (connections between neurons) are eliminated or reduced in number

Question 8

what is long term potentiation

Answer 8

leads to increased connection between synapses, two neurons will communicate with greater efficiency

• very complex

Question 9

what is selective inhibition

Answer 9

inhibition of certain neural circuits or neuronal pathways while allowing others to remain active

Question 10

what is myelination

Answer 10

maturation of certain nerve cells, whereby a fatty sheath forms around the axons which allows the nerve impulse to travel faster

Question 11

why does blood flow change in the brain with learning

Answer 11

to accomodate with changes in capacity of learning

• subconscious parts of the brain take over more as time goes on

Question 12

what does skill look like (5)

Answer 12

• accomplishment of task goal
• consistent
• persistent
• adaptability
• efficient (attention and physical)

Question 13

what does skill require (4)

Answer 13

• perception / awareness
• intention to move
• postural control
• coordination

Question 14

what does the classic model of Fitts and Posner distinguish between of the skill to be learnt

Answer 14

distinguish between cognitive, perceptual and motor demands of the skill to be learnt

Question 15

what are the aspects of the cognitive stage in the Fitts and Posners model (5)

Answer 15

• getting the idea
• trial and error
• self talk
• awkward
• inefficent

Question 16

what are the aspects of the associative stage in the Fitts and Posners model (5)

Answer 16

• coordination
• more control
• adaptable
• less errors
• more relaxed

Question 17

what are the aspects of the skilled stage in the Fitts and Posners model (5)

Answer 17

• automatic
• fluid
• efficient
• accurate
• consistent

Question 18

what is motor learning

Answer 18

result of permanent change, not observable

• must monitor performance over a long period of time

Question 19

what is motor performance

Answer 19

temporary, non permanent changes, observable

Question 20

what are good indicators of motor learning

Answer 20

• if it assessed over long period of time
• combined with other factors

Question 21

what are the other factors that should be combined with assessing performance over a long period of time to indicate motor learning

Answer 21

• consistency
• persistance
• coordination stability

Question 22

what would be bad indicators of motor learning

Answer 22

if the performance measure doesnt truely show gains

if improved performance is a result of acquisition of bad habits

Question 23

what is a negatively accelerating performance curve

Answer 23

improvement in performance where initial gains are large but gradually decrease over time

Question 24

what is a positively accelerating performance curve

Answer 24

improvement in performance where initial gains are small but gradually increase over time

Question 25

what is a linear performance curve

Answer 25

the rate of improvement remains consistent throughout the learning process

Question 26

what is a S - shaped performance curve

Answer 26

improvement in performance where progress initially starts slowly, accelerates rapidly, and then levels off as the learner approaches mastery of the skill

Question 27

how to measures changes in performance

Answer 27

compare performance on a pretest and posttest

Question 28

how to measure learning

Answer 28

a retention test must be administered following a break from practice (retention interval)

Question 29

how to measure adaptability

Answer 29

perform a transfer test on a related motor skill following a retention interval

Question 30

what is a key marker of learning

Answer 30

retention

Question 31

what is a difference score and how is it measured

Answer 31

- amount of loss in skill over the retention interval - difference between performance levels at end of original learning session and beginning of retention test

Question 32

what is a percentage score

Answer 32

amount of loss in skill over the retention interval (difference score) relative to amount of improvement in original learning score

Question 33

what is transfer of learning and how would a practitioner use this

Answer 33

tasks may be practiced in a session that are modified from the primary skill to be learnt (e.g drills, unopposed, part skill)

Question 34

what is positive / negative types of transfer

Answer 34

positive or negative performance effects

Question 35

what are general types of transfer

Answer 35

can benefit different activities, contexts

Question 36

what are specific types of transfer

Answer 36

only useful for adapting movement in same context

Question 37

what are vertical types of transfer

Answer 37

difficulty (increased / decreased task demands) - applying what has been learnt to a simpler or harder task

Question 38

what are horizontal types of transfer

Answer 38

context (same thing in different setting) - broad application of skilled and knowledge to range of tasks, all with similar levels of complexity

Question 39

how is the generally held assumption that learning to swim in a pool can prevent drowning, misleading

Answer 39

- assessment of swimming ability not water competency - focus on movement reproduction not skill adaptation - skill transfer from pools to other environments not clear

Question 40

how should children learn to swim instead of in the pool

Answer 40

learn aquatic skills in moving water and not at the comfortable temperature of the pool environment