M7 Introduction to Motor Behaviour

Why study motor behaviour

• massive impacts in human ergonomics

• tools, technologies, environment

sub-disciplines of motor behaviour

motor control

motor learning

motor development

motor control

Study of the cognitive and CNS mechanism’s underlying movement

Goal:

Understand cognitive and neural processes involved in the planning and execution of individual actions

motor learning

Study of the mechanisms involved in acquiring and improving motor skills

Goal:

To understand processes associated with practice that lead to a relatively permanent change in capability for movement

motor development

Study of changes in motor behaviour reflecting the interaction of the maturing organism and its
environment
Goal:

To understand processes and factors leading to changes in performance and learning across the lifespan

theoretical approaches to understanding movement

• cognitive/reductionist

• complex/dynamical systems

cognitive/reductionist

function can be derived from understanding characteristics of the elements

‘whole’ is equal to the sum of the parts

complex/dynamical systems

function cannot be derived from understanding characteristics of the elements

‘whole’ is greater than the sum of the parts

research approaches to understanding movement

• behavioural approach

• neuroscience approach

behavioural approach

• incoming sensory info influences actions

• sensory infoused at both conscious and unconscious levels

• stimulus identification → response selection → response programming

neuroscience approach

• neural events underlying movement

• general activity in brain areas during behaviour

• specific activity of neurons in brain area(s) during behaviour

feedback loop

environmental and internal stimuli

↓

sensory receptors

↓

stimulus indentification

↓

response selection

↓

response programming

↓

spinal cord

↓

peripheral nerve

↓

muscles

↓

action

active movement

endogenous (resulting from internal muscular contractions)

• voluntary movements

• reflexes

passive movement

exogenous (resulting from external forces)

• gravity

• supportive devices

• other bodies

reflex action

made without conscious awareness

• stereotyped (same stimulus and response every time)

• conscious awareness does not precede response

• short latency

• general protective function

• innate

voluntary action

motor skill made with conscious awareness

• adaptable (response related but not determined by stimulus)

• conscious awareness precedes response

• long latency

• can be protective or harmful

• learned

motor skill

• activity or task requiring voluntary control over movement to achieve a goal

  • task perspective

  • performance proficiency perspective

task perspective

a specific type of action, (e.g fishing)

• size of muscle groups involved

• task organization

• predictability of environment

performance proficiency perspective

level of skill (e.g expert vs. novice)

task perspective skill classification

1) Size of muscle groups involved
- Typically related to precision/control
2) Task organization
- Number of steps involved
3) Predictability of the environment
- Constant or changing

muscle groups

gross motor skills

fine motor skills

mixed motor skills

gross motor skills

overall movement, requiring gross movement (walking, pushing)

fine motor skills

fine movement, requiring accuracy (writing, surgery)

mixed motor skills

a combination of movement, requiring gross movement and accuracy (martial arts, gymnastics)

task organization

discrete

serial

continuous

discrete

uniquely defined beginning and end of a movement

serial

several discrete skills connected in a specific sequence

continuous

action does not have a distinct beginning and end

environmental predictability

closed

open

closed environment

environment is predictable, does not change from moment to moment

open environment

task performed in an unpredictable environment; ever changing

skill classification performance proficiency

subject to change through practice, aging, injury

• capability

• skill

capability

person’s potential to achieve success at a task

skill

ability to bring about some end result with maximum certainty and efficient use of energy and/or time

how to improve performance proficiency

maximize

• certainty of goal achievement

• efficient use of energy

• efficient use of time

capability

person’s potential to achieve success at a task

stages of learning

• early stage

• middle stage

• late stage

early stage

cognitive (getting idea of the movement)

• inaccurate

• indecisive

• inconsistent

• rigid

middle stage

forming efficient movement pattern

• accurate

• more consistent

• more decisive

• adaptable

late stage

autonomous (but not automatic)

• accurate

• consistent

• decisive

• adaptable

• recognize errors

response time

consists of

• reaction time

• movement time

reaction time

onset of stimulus to response initiation

• efficiency of peripheral and central processing

• interpreting stimulus information

• planning and initiating movement

movement time

response initiation to response termination

• efficiency of movement planning and control

constant error

• how far away each attempted movement is from the intended target

• can distinguish typical direction of error

• may underestimate error because negative values can cancel out positive values

absolute error

• constant error but there are no signs

• used to obtained unbiased measure of overall values when averaged

• cannot distinguish typical direction of error

variable error

• indicates precision and consistency of movements

• does not contain info about target or goal location

measuring muscle activity

• Triphasic muscle pattern

  • Agonist (prime mover) vs. antagonist

  • Supporting vs. synergist muscles

measuring brain activity

• Measuring neural activity

  • Electroencephalography (EEG)

  • Magnetoencephalography (MEG)

ECG

wave-forms of rhythmic activity reflecting different states

• continuous (ongoing activity)

• event-related potentials (ERPs)

  • change in activity

  • measuring brain waves in response to specific stimulus/action

measuring blood flow (in brain)

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

positron emission tomography (PET)

single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT)

blood oxygen level dependent signal (BOLD)

bold

• reflects changes in blood flow and oxygenation

• indicates underlying neuronal activity

• comparing active (task) condition and rest to identify involvement of brain regions