Lecture 9: Motor skills & abilities Flashcards
Motor Behaviour
= Motor control + motor learning + motor development
Motor Control;
How the neuromuscular system functions to enable coordinated movement
While learning a new skill
While performing a well-learned skill
Motor Learning;
Acquisition of new skills
Performance enhancement of well-learned skills
Reacquisition of skills following injury, disease, etc.
Motor Development:
motor changes across the lifespan, from infancy to old
age
Why study aspects of motor
behaviour
Regardless of whether you work with special populations, general, or athletic, movement control is necessary: RARML Learning Re-learning Modification Adaptation Refinement
WHAT IS A MOTOR SKILL?
Most everyday tasks involve motor skills
What are the characteristics of a motor skill?
- Specific Goal to achieve
- Performed voluntarily
- Requires body movements to accomplish
- goal Need to be learned (or re-learned)
How are motor skills and movements different?
Different movements may be used to achieve same
motor skill – behaviour characteristics of specific limbs
e.g. different styles of walking & running, athletes with artificial limbs
Throwing a ball (under arm or overarm)
MOTOR SKILL vs. MOVEMENT
Skill is evaluated by an outcome e.g.timetorundistance,batting average Movement evaluated by measures of body movements e.g. EMG, video analysis
Why classify motor skills?
Provides basis for identifying similarities/differences among skills
Provides basis for developing principles related to performing and learning motor skills
▫ Describe demands of a motor skill
▫ Design of training programs to allow gradual progression
Motor skills classification systems:
▫ One-dimensional
▫ Two-dimensional(Gentile’staxonomy)
ONE-DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS
1. SIZE OF PRIMARY MUSCULATURE
• One-dimensional systems classified based on continuum
GROSS
• Primary muscles involved are large musculature
• Less movement precision
• Combination of gross & fine motor skills
FINE
• Primary muscles involved are small musculature
• High movement precision
Classify the following skills: typing on a keyboard, walking, threading a needle, kicking a soccer ball, pitching a baseball, hopping
GROSS • Walking • Hopping MIDDLE • Kicking a soccer ball • Pitching a baseball FINE • Typing on keyboard • Threading a needle
ONE-DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS
2. BEGIN & END POINTS OF SKILL
DISCRETE • Skill has distinct beginning & end points • Usually simple movements SERIAL • Involves a sequence of discrete skills CONTINUOUS • Skill has arbitrary beginning & end points • Usually involve repetitive movements
• Classify the following skills: walking, hitting a piano key, playing a song on a piano, typing a sentence on a keyboard, changing gears in a car, driving a car, clicking a mouse button
DISCRETE • Hitting a piano key • Clicking a mouse button SERIAL Playing a song on a piano Typing a sentence on a keyboard Changing gears in a car CONTINUOUS • Walking • Driving a car
