Motor control week 3

Which phenomenon shows that startling stimuli can accelerate release of a motor program?

Blocked movement

StartReact effect

Deafferentation

Gunslinger effect

StartReact effect

Recall schema is updated by:

Central pattern generation

Watching demonstrations

Elimination of invariant features

Previous experiences with similar movements

Previous experiences with similar movements

In the tapping task we did in the lab, which sensory modality besides vision could help in the eyes-closed condition?

Proprioceptive feedback from muscles and joints

Vestibular input only

No feedback is possible

Auditory feedback

Proprioceptive feedback from muscles and joints

Central Pattern Generators (CPGs) are:

Motor programs stored in cortical centers

Reflex loops dependent on peripheral feedback

Neural networks capable of generating rhythmic output without sensory input

Schema rules for recall and recognition

Neural networks capable of generating rhythmic output without sensory input

Which statement about the StartReact phenomenon is correct?

The nervous system cannot initiate movements during startling stimuli

It only applies to genetically defined rhythmic activities

Reaction times increase when a startling stimulus occurs

A prepared motor program can be released faster with a loud auditory stimulus

A prepared motor program can be released faster with a loud auditory stimulus

The tossing activity we did in lab highlights the difference between:

Recall vs. recognition schema

Open-loop vs. closed-loop processes

Feedback vs. feedforward control

Adjusting parameters within a GMP vs. switching to a new GMP

Adjusting parameters within a GMP vs. switching to a new GMP

Which schema component would be most engaged when selecting how much force to use for a high jump attempt?

Central pattern generation

Recognition schema

Closed-loop control

Recall schema

Recall schema

Which phenomenon demonstrates that once initiated, a programmed movement is difficult to stop?

Deafferentation

Inhibition of movement (Slater-Hammel, 1960)

StartReact

Gunslinger effect

Inhibition of movement (Slater-Hammel, 1960)

Which is a key component of a motor program?

Number of DOFs controlled

Schema recognition

External feedback

Order of muscle activation

Order of muscle activation

Recognition schema allows performers to:

Store invariant features of a GMP

Judge the correctness of their movement

Plan parameters for a new movement

Eliminate feedback during execution

Judge the correctness of their movement

Which of the following would be considered invariant features in overarm throwing?

The choice of dominant or non-dominant arm

The relative timing of muscle activations

The overall force of the throw

The distance thrown

The relative timing of muscle activations

In Wadman et al.'s (1979) blocked movement studies, EMG activity showed:

Planned muscle activation patterns still occurred even when movement was blocked

Sensory feedback was necessary for any muscle activity to occur

Movements stopped immediately when blocked

Participants adjusted mid-action using closed-loop corrections

Planned muscle activation patterns still occurred even when movement was blocked

Which field originally introduced the concepts of open- and closed-loop control?

Cybernetics/engineering

Biology

Psychology

Motor learning

Cybernetics/engineering

Coordination helps solve the DOF problem by:

Storing more motor programs

Using recognition schema

Eliminating muscles not needed in the task

Linking independent elements into functional units

Linking independent elements into functional units

Which best differentiates a CPG from a learned motor program?

Motor programs are rhythmic, CPGs are discrete

CPGs are genetically defined, motor programs are learned

CPGs require recall schema

Both depend on sensory input

CPGs are genetically defined, motor programs are learned

Which motor task would benefit most from closed-loop adjustments?

Punching in boxing

A quick golf putt

Tracking a slowly moving target with a stylus

Fast typing of familiar words

Tracking a slowly moving target with a stylus

In motor control, coordination refers to:

Performing a movement in rhythm with external cues

Organizing muscles, joints, and neural processes into a controllable unit

Reducing reliance on sensory feedback

Practicing until movements become automatic

Organizing muscles, joints, and neural processes into a controllable unit

According to Schema Theory, how does variable practice help learning?

It minimizes feedback corrections

It eliminates recall schema errors

It provides a wider base of experiences to form stronger schemas

It strengthens invariant features

It provides a wider base of experiences to form stronger schemas

"Context-conditioned variability" refers to:

The fact that the same muscle activation can produce different outcomes in different contexts

Schema adjustments across practice conditions

Loss of sensory feedback

The storage problem in motor programs

The fact that the same muscle activation can produce different outcomes in different contexts

Why is open-loop control effective for throwing a dart?

It solves the storage problem

It allows continuous feedback to adjust the throw

The movement is too quick for feedback corrections

It activates central pattern generators

The movement is too quick for feedback corrections

When writing your name with your non-dominant hand, what is most likely preserved?

Relative timing of strokes

Comfort leve

lError variability

Absolute movement speed

Relative timing of strokes

A Generalized Motor Program (GMP) is defined as:

A schema rule that selects parameters

A unique motor program stored for every possible movement

A memory representation of a class of actions that share invariant features

A central pattern generator for rhythmic movements

A memory representation of a class of actions that share invariant features

Practicing free throws from different distances is an example of:

Using closed-loop control only

Variable practice to build a recall schema

Eliminating invariant features

Storing multiple motor programs

Variable practice to build a recall schema

How many DOFs exist at the shoulder (glenohumeral) joint?

4

2

3

1

3

Which of the following actions is most likely controlled by a motor program?

Adjusting posture while standing on a moving bus

Slowly tracking a moving cursor

Typing a familiar word like "the"

Balancing on a beam

Typing a familiar word like "the"

The StartReact effect reduces reaction time by approximately:

10 ms

200 ms

25 ms

Up to 50 ms

Up to 50 ms

In the tapping task we did in the lab, the "eyes closed" condition relies primarily on:

Feedback error correction

Recognition schema

Closed-loop control

Open-loop control

Open-loop control

Which of the following actions primarily requires closed-loop control?

Dart throw

Balancing on one foot with eyes open

Baseball pitch

Boxing punch

Balancing on one foot with eyes open

The stop-signal paradigm of Slater-Hammel demonstrates that:

Invariant features can be changed during execution

Novel movements can be easily stopped

Once initiated, motor programs are difficult to halt

Closed-loop control dominates fast actions

Once initiated, motor programs are difficult to halt

The Gunslinger effect suggests:

Novel movements are always slower than practiced ones

Reacting to another's action can be faster than initiating one's own movement

Feedback is required to beat an opponent's speed

Movement programs are stored uniquely for each action

Reacting to another's action can be faster than initiating one's own movement

Applying Schema Theory to rehabilitation, variable practice for a motor skill would aim to:

Weaken recall schema by adding noise

Eliminate recognition schema feedback

Strengthen the adaptability of motor programs to new contexts

Increase reliance on closed-loop control only

Strengthen the adaptability of motor programs to new contexts

Schema theory conceptualizes movement performance as:

Fixed motor commands uninfluenced by outcomes

Adaptive use of GMPs with parameters adjusted through experience

A rhythm-based invariant sequence

Reliance on central pattern generators

Adaptive use of GMPs with parameters adjusted through experience

When writing your name slowly, normally, or fast, which element remains invariant?

Movement speed

Absolute duration

Overall shape and relative timing

Stroke size

Overall shape and relative timing

Skilled actions typically involve:

Open-loop only

Closed-loop only

Neither open- nor closed-loop control

A blend of open-loop and closed-loop processes

A blend of open-loop and closed-loop processes

Which of the following would increase DOFs in a motor task?

Reducing speed

Using more joints simultaneously

Coupling joint movements

Immobilizing the wrist

Using more joints simultaneously

Which schema component would be most engaged when a gymnast realizes her landing was off balance?

Open-loop control

Recognition schema

GMP invariant features

Recall schema

Recognition schema

Which limitation of simple motor program theory is highlighted by the storage problem?

It prevents schema formation

It cannot explain how feedback adjusts movements

It is unrealistic to store a unique motor program for every movement variation

It shows that invariant features change constantly

It is unrealistic to store a unique motor program for every movement variation

Deafferentation studies revealed that monkeys:

Lost all rhythmic motor output

Could not initiate movement without vision

Required continuous visual correction

Could still perform learned tasks without limb sensory feedback

Could still perform learned tasks without limb sensory feedback

Schema theory helps address which limitation of simple motor program theory?

Feedback delay problem

Muscle redundancy

Context-conditioned variability

Storage and novelty problems

Storage and novelty problems

Which of the following is not a component of closed-loop control?

Pre-structured motor commands only

Error correction

Desired state

Sensory feedback

Pre-structured motor commands only

Which of the following actions has the most contribution from open-loop control?

Throwing a dart

Walking across a crowded room

Tracking a moving cursor with a mouse

Balancing on a beam

Throwing a dart

Which of the following is an invariant feature of a GMP?

Relative timing of components

Movement amplitude

Overall duration

Muscle group selected

Relative timing of components

A thermostat adjusting room temperature after measuring it is an example of:

Closed-loop control

Schema recall

Open-loop control

Generalized motor program

Closed-loop control

Which of the following is NOT an element stored in schema memory?

The motor units recruited

The parameters used

The goal of the movement

The sensory consequences

The motor units recruited

Which of these movements is too fast to allow meaningful closed-loop corrections?

Holding a yoga balance

Walking across a room

A baseball swing

Driving a car and adjusting to traffic

A baseball swing

Which component of Schmidt's schema theory is responsible for evaluating the outcome of a movement and refining future performance?

GMP invariant features

Recognition schema

Motor program

Recall schema

Recognition schema

When writing at different sizes (small vs. large), what changes?

Stroke amplitude

The invariant features

Relative timing

Order of letters

Stroke amplitude

Which would be considered a parameter in overarm throwing?

Overall movement duration

Sequence of muscle activations

The action class

Relative timing

Overall movement duration

Which feature of handwriting illustrates invariant features of GMPs?

The muscle group used (hand vs. elbow)

The total time required to complete writing

The consistent letter shapes regardless of size or speed

The writing instrument chosen

The consistent letter shapes regardless of size or speed

Which is the best example of an open-loop control movement?

A rapid finger tap in less than 200 ms

Standing and swaying slightly

Typing while correcting errors

Walking on uneven ground

A rapid finger tap in less than 200 ms

Which component of Schema Theory evaluates the outcome of a movement?

Motor program

Recall schema

Invariant feature

Recognition schema

Recognition schema

Which theorist is credited with describing the degrees of freedom problem?

Richard Schmidt

Keele

Slater-Hammel

Nikolai Bernstein

Nikolai Bernstein

In the blocked movement studies, the first 100-120 ms of EMG activity after the block showed:

Feedback-driven corrections

Inhibition of antagonist muscles

Immediate adjustment to the block

Pre-planned muscle activation unaffected by sensory feedback

Pre-planned muscle activation unaffected by sensory feedback

In the tossing activity we did in lab, throwing the same object farther while using the same movement pattern shows:

Parameter adjustments within the same GMP

Closed-loop corrections

A change in invariant features

Novelty problem resolution

Parameter adjustments within the same GMP

In the tapping task in lab, the average radial error from the eyes-open tapping condition is lower because:

Parameters of the GMP remain constant

The DOF problem is reduced

Open-loop control eliminates errors

Visual feedback supports closed-loop corrections

Visual feedback supports closed-loop corrections

Which rehabilitation method is linked to findings from deafferentation research?

Biofeedback training

Robotic-assisted gait training

Constraint-induced movement therapy

Vestibular stimulation

Biofeedback training

Schema theory emphasizes the importance of:

Reducing sensory input during learning

Eliminating recognition schema

Practicing only one parameter to perfect accuracy

Practicing with varied parameters to strengthen rule formation

Practicing with varied parameters to strengthen rule formation

The Gunslinger effect suggests that:

Muscle EMG shows no preparation in reactions

Prepared reactions can be triggered faster than voluntary initiations

Closed-loop control governs dueling responses

Initiating an action is always faster than reacting

Prepared reactions can be triggered faster than voluntary initiations

Which of the following best describes Bernstein's "degrees of freedom problem"?

The loss of sensory feedback from a limb

The inability to adapt to new, novel skills

The difficulty in storing enough motor programs for every possible movement variation

The challenge of controlling the body's many independent joints and muscles to produce smooth, goal-directed movement

The challenge of controlling the body's many independent joints and muscles to produce smooth, goal-directed movement

In Bernstein's view, motor control requires:

Eliminating feedback pathways

Increasing the number of DOFs used

Reducing and organizing DOFs into manageable units

Memorizing all possible movement variations

Reducing and organizing DOFs into manageable units

Which limitation of simple motor program theory is highlighted by the novelty problem?

Programs adapt instantly to feedback

It accounts only for rhythmic activities

New movements can be stored after a few attempts

It cannot explain how we produce movements we have never performed before

It cannot explain how we produce movements we have never performed before

Which component of Schema Theory provides parameters for a GMP before movement begins?

Central pattern generator

Recognition schema

Recall schema

Open-loop control

Recall schema

Which of the following illustrates adjusting parameters of a GMP?

Writing letters with identical timing regardless of speed

Throwing underhand with different amounts of force to reach near vs. far targets

Storing a new motor program for every throw distance

Switching from underhand to overhand toss

Throwing underhand with different amounts of force to reach near vs. far targets

Which of the following is an example of a parameter in GMP theory?

Class of action (e.g., running vs. walking)

Sequential order of keystrokes

Relative timing of a piano piece

Overall speed of performance

Overall speed of performance

Slater-Hammel's (1960) inhibition study showed that:

It takes ~200 ms to inhibit a pre-planned movement

Schema recall can override a programmed response

Feedback can stop any movement mid-execution

Participants successfully inhibited all movements

It takes ~200 ms to inhibit a pre-planned movement

Which phenomenon explains why the second person in a duel often reacts faster than the first?

Deafferentation

Central pattern generation

StartReact

Gunslinger effect

Gunslinger effect

Switching from an underhand toss to an overhand toss requires:

Adjusting invariant features

Eliminating feedback

A change in parameters only

Switching to a different GMP

Switching to a different GMP

In Schmidt's Schema Theory, a schema is:

A fixed sequence of motor commands

A parameter used in closed-loop control

An abstract rule or set of rules for movement decisions

A neural network that produces rhythmic output

An abstract rule or set of rules for movement decisions

Which analogy best illustrates the concept of coordination?

A pianist memorizing notes to a song

A car reducing 4 independent wheels to 1 DOF by coupling them

A printer reproducing the same image repeatedly

A thermostat adjusting temperature

A car reducing 4 independent wheels to 1 DOF by coupling them

According to Keele (1968), a motor program is:

A rhythmic output from spinal circuitry

A flexible representation that adapts based on environmental demands

A stored schema rule that selects appropriate parameters

A set of muscle commands structured before a movement that runs without peripheral feedback

A set of muscle commands structured before a movement that runs without peripheral feedback

Invariant features are important because they:

Eliminate the need for feedback

Define the class of action stored in memory

Remove the DOF problem entirely

Allow unlimited novel movements

Define the class of action stored in memory

A waltz rhythm (3/4 time) is an analogy for:

Closed-loop feedback

Schema recall

Invariant features of a GMP

Parameters of a GMP

Invariant features of a GMP

Which activity is most likely governed by a central pattern generator?

A dart throw

Walking

Playing the piano

Typing a password

Walking

Bernstein's degrees of freedom (DOF) problem arises because:

Sensory feedback is always unreliable

The brain cannot store enough motor programs

The body has more joints and muscles than are needed for most movements

Motor units act independently of one another

The body has more joints and muscles than are needed for most movements

Which of the following is an invariant feature of a generalized motor program?

Muscle group selected

Overall speed of the movement

Relative timing of components

Force used in the movement

Relative timing of components

Which of the following best illustrates Schema Theory in practice?

Learning a piano piece by memorizing every note

A child adapting throwing force when tossing different-sized balls

A thermostat adjusting temperature

Walking generated by spinal CPGs

A child adapting throwing force when tossing different-sized balls

In long-duration movements (> 300 ms), control is dominated by:

Schema recall

Closed-loop processes

Storage and novelty problems

Open-loop processes

Closed-loop processes

Which of the following is the best example of recognition schema?

Planning the sequence of a pitch

Choosing the arm to use for a toss

Selecting how much force to throw a dart with

Realizing a dart landed short of the target and adjusting next time

Realizing a dart landed short of the target and adjusting next time

In the underhand toss lab, increasing throwing distance while keeping the same tossing style illustrated:

Eliminating invariant features

Recognition schema corrections only

Parameter adjustments within the same GMP

A new GMP

Parameter adjustments within the same GMP

Which analogy best explains invariant features and parameters in a GMP?

A car engine adjusting fuel intake

A thermostat adjusting temperature

Rhythm (invariant) vs. tempo (parameter) in music

A printer storing every possible image

Rhythm (invariant) vs. tempo (parameter) in music