Chapter 1: Classification of Motor Skills

Define motor skills

tasks requiring voluntary control of body movements

Why study motor learning?

we learn to move skillfully

Motor skills are a product of what?

a long and arduous acquisition process

The study of Motor Learning emphasizes:

acquisition of motor skills, performance enhancement, reacquisiton of skills

What is the study of motor control?

the neuromuscular system functions to activate/coordinate muscles & joints involved in the performance of a motor skill (while learning or performing a new skill)

What is the study of motor development?

issues related to either or both motor learning and control (developed from infancy thru old age)

What are the 3 Influences on How we Perform a Motor Skill

1) the person

2) performance enviornment

3) the skill

Define skills

tasks/activities that have specific goals to achieve (action goals) and is an indicator of quality of performance

Define cognitive skills

mental acitvity including decision making, problem solving, remembering, and the like

What are Actions?

Used synonymously and interchangeably with the term motor skills

What are the 4 characterisitcs of both actions and skills?

1. Have a goal to achieve

2. Are performed voluntarily

3. Require control of joints & body segments to accomplish task goals

4. Need to be re/learned

Define movements

specific patterns of motion among joints and body segments (many-to-one vs one-to-many relationship)

Define neuromotor processes

mechanisms within the nervous & muscular systems that under lie the control of movements and actions (not visible)