Motor Learning: Systems Theories & Ecological Approach - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from Dynamic Systems Theory, ecological approach, and constraints-led concepts in motor learning.

Dynamic Systems Theory

A theory of motor control/learning where movement emerges from nonlinear interactions among the organism, task, and environment, featuring self-organization, attractors, and shifting order and control parameters.

Non-linear dynamics

Movement behavior that is not proportional to inputs; small changes can lead to large, often unpredictable changes in patterns.

Self-organising systems

Systems that develop organized patterns or structures without explicit external programming.

Attractor/attractor states

Stable, preferred patterns of movement with minimal variability and energetic efficiency.

Order parameters

Variables that define the overall behavior of the system (e.g., rhythm or coordination).

Control parameters

Variables that push the system to change from one pattern to another.

Perception-action coupling

The coordination between perceiving environmental information and producing the motor action to achieve a goal.

Open skill

A skill performed in an unpredictable, changing environment (e.g., tennis).

Closed skill

A skill performed in a stable, unchanging environment (e.g., golf).

Ecological approach

Perception attaches meaning to information; meaning is shaped by personal experience, and memory is not necessary to provide meaning.

Perception

The process of interpreting sensory information to attach meaning.

Constraints-Led approach

A framework where movement emerges from the interaction of constraints: individual, task, and environmental.

Individual constraints

Intrinsic factors such as body size, fatigue, and motivation that shape movement.

Task constraints

Rules, goals, and equipment that influence how a movement is performed.

Environmental constraints

External factors like weather, surface, and gravity that affect movement.