Motor behavior section 1

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts of motor control, motor learning, motor development, theoretical models, attention, dynamic systems, and information processing.

Generalized Motor Program (GMP)

A motor program where a movement uses the same basic movement pattern, but parameters can be changed so you can execute it harder, softer, faster, or slower.

Invariant Features

Features of a movement that stay the same even when the movement changes, including sequencer of actions, relative timing, and relative force.

Sequencer of Actions

An invariant feature defining the specific order in which movements happen.

Relative Timing

An invariant feature where the timing relationship between parts of a movement stays the same.

Relative Force

An invariant feature where the amount of force used by each part of the movement stays in a similar relationship.

Parameters

Things you can change about a movement, such as muscle selection, overall duration, and overall force.

Closed-Loop Control

A mode of control where you use feedback while moving to make corrections during the movement (Move → get feedback → correct).

Open-Loop Control

A mode of control where the movement happens without making corrections during the movement (Plan → move).

Speed-Accuracy Tradeoff

The principle that the faster you move, the harder it is to be accurate.

Perception

In the ecological approach, how we notice and understand information from our environment.

Affordances

What the environment allows you to do.

Self-Organization

A dynamic systems concept where the body naturally organizes itself to create a movement.

Attractors

A stable movement pattern that the body naturally prefers or tends to use.

Phase Shift

A sudden change from one movement pattern to another.

Control Parameters

Things that cause a movement to change, which can increase skill and performance.

Rate Limiter

Something that slows down or limits how fast a skill can improve, happen, or perform.

Constraints

Things that limit or influence movement.

Structural Constraint

A physical characteristic of a person that affects movement, such as height or limb length.

Task Constraints

Things about the activity or rules that affect movement.

Environmental Constraints

Things in the surroundings that affect movement, which can be physical or sociocultural.

Reaction Time

The time between seeing or hearing something and starting to respond.

Movement Time

The time it takes to complete the movement after you start.

Response Time

The total duration combining reaction time and movement time.

Simple Reaction Time

Reacting to one signal with one response.

Choice Reaction Time

Choosing the correct response from several options.

Event Anticipation

Predicting what will happen.

Temporal Anticipation

Predicting when something will happen.

Psychological Refractory Period (PRP)

The delay in response that occurs when a second signal comes too soon after the first, making your response to the second signal slower.

Attention

Focusing on important information.

Central Limited Capacity

The principle that your brain can only process a limited amount of information at once.

Central-Resource Capacity Theory

Theory stating you have a limited amount of mental energy that can be divided between tasks.

Interference

When one task or piece of information makes another task harder.

Selective Attention

Focusing on what is important while ignoring distractions.

Internal Directed Focus

Directing attention toward your body or movement.

External Directed Focus

Directing attention toward something outside your body.

Inverted U Hypothesis

Theory stating performance is best with an optimal, moderate amount of arousal/attention.

Cue-Utilization Theory

Theory stating that as arousal increases, an individual focuses on fewer and fewer cues.

Exteroception

Information received from outside your body.

Visual Acuity

How clearly you can see something.

Dynamic Visual Acuity

How well you can see something while it is moving.

Proprioception

Knowing where your body is and how it is moving without looking.

Working Memory

Memory component that temporarily holds information while you use or work with it.

Motor Behavior

The study of how people move and how movement changes.

Motor Control

How the brain and body organize, manage, and control movement, including the ability to coordinate body movements.

Motor Learning

The process of improving a movement through practice and experience, resulting in relatively permanent changes in movement ability.

Motor Development

How movement abilities change and improve throughout a person's life span.

Motor Skills

Learned movements that allow you to perform physical activities.

Coordination

Using different body parts together smoothly.

Degrees of Freedom

The number of ways the body can move or the number of joints that can move.

Serial Order Problem

Figuring out the correct order of movements to complete a task.

Coarticulation

Adjusting one movement based on the movement that comes before or after it.

Perceptual-Motor Integration Problem

Using information from your senses to control movement.

Performance

How well you perform a movement at a specific time.

Retention Test

Testing a skill after some time has passed to see if you still remember it.

Feedback

Information received about how you performed a movement.

Motor Competence – Product

The result or outcome of a person's motor ability.

Motor Competence – Process

How a person performs a movement.

Phylogen

Motor abilities that are shared by humans as a species.

Ontogeny

How an individual's motor skills develop throughout their life.

Physical Growth

An increase in body size and physical characteristics.

Maturation

The natural process of becoming more physically developed over time.

Aging

The natural changes that happen to the body as a person gets older.