Chapter 2 : Theoretical Perspective's in Motor Development

KINE 3500

What is a theory?

Broad and general statement to explain a body of knowledge and provide predictions to advance that body of knowledge

• description of behavior

What is the criteria for a theory?

Testable, Replicable, and Parsimonious

Theories are used to ?

describe, explain, and predict change

What are the theories of Motor Development

Maturational Perspective: (long time ago, debatable, central nervous system controls everything)

Informational Processing Perspective: (computers came along, input, output)

Ecological Perspective : Newells Model

Motor Development Theories help us

understand explanations and form interpretations from

research findings

What does Motor Development Theories have roots in?

◦ Developmental psychology

◦ Embryology (prenatal/fertilization)

◦ Biology (study of life/organisms)

When was the Precursor Period of Motor Development

1787-1928

The Precursor Period is

Foundational to Motor Development

• descriptive observation

• Baby Biographies-Cognition

Baby Biographies

◦ D. Tiedemann’s, Observations of the Development of Mental Faculties of Children (1787)

◦ C. Darwin, A Biographical Sketch of An Infant (1877)

◦ W. Preyer, The Mind of a Child (1882)

◦ M. Shinn, The Biography of A Baby (1900)

When was the Maturational Period?

1928-1946

The Maturational Perspective proposes that

Proposed that motor development occurs as a result of maturational processes, specifically, maturation of the central nervous system (CNS)

What are the assumptions of the Maturational Perspective?

• Internal or Innate process driven by a biological or genetic time clock

(Genetics + Heredity > Environment)

The Maturational Perspective was popular during

1930’s led by Arnold Gessell

• Hereditary factors were ultimately in control of development

• Co-twin research : Significant contributions

• no twins will be the exact SAME

Myrtle McGraw used what perspective?

Maturational

• Also used twins

• Growth: A Study of Johnny and Jimmy

• Johnny got a lot of the input/feedback and Jimmy was kind of left in crib (Jimmy was control group)

• Maturation of CNS to be the trigger for the appearance of new skills.

The Maturational Perspective began to wane in

1950’s

• Motor skills will automatically emerge regardless of the environment

What was the reason for changes in behavior (Maturational Perspective)

CNS (Central Nervous System)

• Twins Studies (nature vs nurture)

What are long lasting beliefs from maturations theory?

1. Basic motor skills emerge automatically.

2. There is no need for special training.

3. Mild deprivation does not arrest development.

4. The nervous system is most important.

The Normative/Descriptive Period was when?

1940’s-1970’s

The Normative Descriptive Period focused on

the characterization and development of norms and assessments

• use of quantitative scores to describe children’s average performance

During the Normative Descriptive Period, they used

extensive filming of different motor behaviors

What period was product-oriented, used scores and outcomes?

Normative Descriptive

Anna Espenschade, Ruth Glassow, Lawrence Rarick focused on what period?

Normative Descriptive

• 1950’s : Development of norms and assessments

• Quantitative : Focused on products rather than process

Biomechanical Descriptive is

Biomechanical Descriptions of movement patterns in fundamental skills.

• Course of sequential movement

Biomechanical Descriptive states that motor development occurs from

the development of several systems, not just CNS.

Running is involved in what Descriptive?

Biomechanical

• Wickstrom (1983)

Biomechanical Descriptive for Running

• Trends of running

• Development of form in running

• Mature running pattern

• Mechanical principles of running

• Analysis of form

For Biomechanical Descriptive, what are the THREE PHASES OF RUNNING?

Flight

Support

Recover

Describe what your arms, legs, and feet do when running

◦ Arms move in opposition to legs with elbows bent

◦ Brief period where both feet are off the surface

◦ Narrow foot placement landing on heel or toes

◦ Non-supporting leg bent about 90 degrees, so foot is close to buttocks

Biomechanical Descriptive for Throwing

Wickstrom (1983)

◦ Throwing pattern of children

◦ Development of form for throwing

◦ Mechanics of throwing

◦ Sports skills that use throwing patterns

◦ Analysis of form in throwing

What are the THREE PHASES OF THROWING (Biomechanical Descriptive)

Prepatory

Execution

Follow-Through

What happens to your body during a throw

• Windup is initiated with a downward movement of hand and arm

• Rotates hip and shoulder to a point where the non-throwing side faces the wall'

• Steps with the foot opposite of the throwing hand towards the wall

• Throwing hand follows through after the ball release

When was the Process-Oriented Period?

1970’s - NOW

The Information Processing Perspective says the Brain acts like a

Computer

• taking information, processing it, and outputting movement

The Information Processing Perspective focused on

external processes or environmental effects on behavior

• response to stimuli in the environment

What is this chart?

Information Processing Perspective

The Ecological Perspective is during what time?

1980’s

The Ecological Perspective states that development is driven by

interrelationships of Individual, Environment, and Task

What are the two approaches of the Ecological Perspective?

Dynamical-Systems approach = Motor control & coordination

Perception-action approach = Perception

The Dynamical Systems Approach states how the

body is organized, physically and chemically constrains behavior across the lifespan

• All Body Systems Develop at Different Rates

EX) Structure of hip joints and legs

Dynamical Systems Approach

Skeletal system in infants' creep/crawl

• 300 bones

• Cartilage

• Crawling/Creeping

Skeletal system in adults walk

• 206 bones

• Fused together

• Walk

In the Dynamical Systems Approach, what holds back or slows down the emergence of a motor skill because it develops more slowly than other systems

Rate Limiters

In the Dynamical Systems Approach, what is changing or aging more quickly than other systems

Rate Controller

Perception Action Approach is by

J.J. Gibson

• perceptual-vision, hearing

• motor/movement (skeletal, muscular)

The Perception Action Approach states that

Perceptual and Motor systems evolved together, are interrelated and must be studied together

Body Scaling

is the process of changing dimensions of the environment/object in relation to the structural constraints of the performer.

EX) Toddler crawling upstairs vs adult stepping up the stairs

• Perception Action Approach

Affordances

describe a function an environmental object provides an individual

• a chair allows you to sit down

(Perception Action Approach)

How would a theorist explain a Child Riding a Bike?

Maturational Approach: Body is ready to ride a bike, and your body is gonna do what you need to ride a bike (pedal and steer is natural)

Information Processing Approach:

Input : Kids across street / mom encouragement

Processing : Wants to go faster / want to keep going

Output : Pedals Faster

Ecological: Environment, Individual, Task

Currently, there has been no

paradigm shift since the ecological perspective

Motor Competency

Role of motor skill development in good health

• ability to do the skill

Skill proficiency enhances

exercise, and exercise assists individuals in maintaining ideal body weight

Stodden et al’s (2008) model involves

motor skill competence, physical activity, physical fitness, and weight status has generated new research

.

Motor Development Periods Chart

Different theoretical perspectives of motor development have

emerged throughout the history of motor development.

Although each perspective is unique, there are often benefits to viewing motor development from

different perspectives

The maturational perspective has had a lasting impact on how changes in motor development occurs; however,

the ecological perspective is now more widely used by researchers

Theoretical Perspectives Chart