Study Questions

Test 1: Introduction, Perspectives, and Theories

Spring, 2000

  1. How do we define motor control? How is it different than motor learning? Can you give an example

of each to highlight differences?

  1. Identify and explain, with example, the characteristics of skill, when the word is used both as a noun

and as a verb.

  1. What do degrees of freedom refer to? Give some examples.
  1. Compare and contrast the terms control and coordination. Explain both of these processes relative to

becoming skillful. Is gaining coordination the same as becoming skillful? Explain. How is becoming skillful different (in terms of df) for rapid, fast movements(e.g. swinging, vs. slower, accuracy-type skills (e.g. juggling).

  1. If we were to try to measure control and coordination scientifically, briefly explain how we would do

it and the logic behind the measurement.

  1. Explain how reflex theories attempted to explain motor control. From this view, where does skill

come from and how do we develop it? Explain WHY it does not explain skill and motor control too well.

  1. Compare and contrast open and closed loop motor control. Give some examples of movements that

likely employ each control system, or both control systems.

  1. How do we explain the process of learning from the perspective of open and closed loop control

systems?

  1. Can you conceptualize the expanded open-loop model of motor control? Can you fill in an empty

model (handout)?

  1. What is the information-processing perspective? How does it attempt to explain motor control and

performance?

  1. What are the three stages of information-processing? Explain each.
  1. Define reaction time (RT) and movement time (MT). Differentiate between the true measurement of

RT and MT. How long is a simple RT?

  1. What is the difference between choice RT and Discrimination RT? Give practical examples.
  1. If a RT is slow, what does that say about how much of the movement might have been preplanned? If a RT is fast, what does that suggest? Relate this to the sprint-start article and Lab 1.
  1. Specific to each stage of information-processing, identify 3-4 real life influences on I-P and/or RT (see small group scenario and handout). What would be some instructional strategies given these influences (e.g. modifying a task)?
  1. Explain fractionated RT. What is the usefuleness of fractionating RT into motor and premotor times? Identify and briefly explain 3-4 “motor” or physical processes (either afferent or efferent) that impact RT.
  1. What is meant by the “bottleneck” processing of stimuli? Explain.
  1. From an information-processing perspective, explain the challenge of rapid ball sports? What are

strategies to increase skill (e.g. quicker, more accurate I-P).

  1. Provide examples of how a task or skill can be modified to increase it’s complexity. With each modification, identify the stage of I-P which is affected.
  1. Be able to relate common movement errors to a specific stage in I-P.
  1. What does psychological refractory period (PRP) mean? How does it explain the effectiveness of

“fakes” in sports? Be able to explain what stage and why the RT delay occurs. For fakes to create the PRP in an opponent, provide some guidelines.

  1. Define and explain the motor program concept. What are the major purposes of motor programs?
  1. Explain the specific lines of evidence that support that MP’s actually exist:

RT and movement complexity

EMG for blocked movements

Deafferentation

Inability to stop a planned movement

27. Explain the weaknesses of the motor program concept (i.e. what it cannot explain).

  1. Explain how the generalized motor program concept addresses those weaknesses and better explains

motor control and skill.

  1. Explain the 3 invariant parameters that represent a GMP. What are the variant parameters which

accompany the GMP?

  1. Give a couple of examples of skills or movements that may have different variant parameters but the

same GMP.

  1. Provide some examples of situations where poor performance may result because the movement was

outside the control of the most stable, well-learned GMP.

  1. Explain the process of learning from a motor programming perspective. What do we mean

by“parameterize.”?

  1. Explain the major, fundamental differences between motor program perspective and dynamic

systems

  1. In dynamic systems theories, what does attractor state refer to? How does it differ than motor

programs?

  1. In dynamic systems theories, what is meant by coordination and control is a result the interaction of

environment, task, and organism? Explain with examples how these might interact to produce skilled

movement.

36. In dynamic systems theories, what is meant by the terms “self-organizing” and “emerging”?

37. In dynamic systems, explain the “coordinative structure.” How does it differ than a motor program?

  1. What do we mean that a lot of coordination and control lies within the system, or the mechanics of

the body? Can you give an example?

  1. Highlight the fundamental difference between instruction from the hierarchical perspective vs.

dynamical systems?

40. What are the major weaknesses of the dynamic systems perspective in explaining skillfulness?