KIN 360 exam 1

Concept 1:

Define the characteristics of motor development

• A continuous process of change, related to age but not dependent, sequential, depends on underlying processes, and there are individual differences

Physical growth vs. physiological maturation

• Physical growth: quantitative increase in size or magnitude. Will include both the change in size and change in functional capacity. Ex. Hyperplasia or hypertrophy

• Physiological maturation: qualitative advance in biological makeup and may refer to cell, organ, or system advancement in biochemical composition rather than size alone. Timing and tempo matter here.

Concept 2:  

What is Newell’s model of constraint

• It suggests that movements arise from the interactions of the organism, the environment in which the movement occurs, and the task to be undertaken. 

Example of each constraint

• Individual: a person's unique physical and mental characteristics. Can be broken down into functional and structural. (Structural: height and weight, functional: motivation)

• Environmental: constraints related to the world around us. Example: humidity or gender roles

• Task: includes the goals and rule structure of a particular movement or activity. Example: equipment of sports

Concept 3: 

Name the 4 main theories from chapter 2

• Maturational, information processing, ecological perspective, and perceptual-action

Describe each theory

• Maturational: Each stage of development corresponds with a stage of evolution. Development results from mostly inherited factors

• Information processing: The idea that information and its use can be measured. The brain acts like a computer, taking in information, processing it and outputting a movement. 3 things: formation of motor programs, feedback, knowledge of results

• Ecological perspective: the interrelationships between the individual, environment, and the task. Dynamic systems

• Perceptual-action: A close interrelationship exists between the perceptual system and the motor system. These two systems will evolve together. Affordance: when a person looks at an object and he/she directly perceives the function that the object will allow based on their body, the objects size, shape, texture, etc. Body scaling: when people assess environmental properties in relation to themselves not according to an objective standard

What is a scientific theory

• Based on scientific data, openly debated by scientific community, tends to be coherent, is able to reproduce data 

Concept 4: 

The 4 systems for development 

• Skeletal system, Muscular system, Adipose system, Nervous system 

Describe each system 

• Skeletal: The body's support system made up of bones are cartilage, undergoes considerable change over the life span and reflects the influence of both genetic and external factors 

• Prenatal: Primary ossification centers     Postnatal: Secondary ossification center, epiphyseal plates are closed    Adulthood: loss of bone tissue 

• Muscular: Composed of all the muscles in the body and is responsible for movement and positions, changed over the lifespan based on genetic and external factors

• Prenatal: muscle fibers grown by hyperplasia and hypertrophy       Post birth development: Hypertrophy growth     Adulthood: loss in number of fibers 

• Adipose: The energy storage, insulation, and protection of the body, can also be referred to as body fat

• Prenatal: appears in fetus at 3.5 months    Postnatal: hyperplasia, hypertrophy 

Adulthood: weight gain between 20-50 years, body fat redistribution w/aging 

• Nervous: network of nerves used to send signals to and from the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. Used to control movement and speech along with memory, and thinking. The development is critical for social, cognitive, and motor development. 

• Prenatal: general formation of immature neurons, neurons will specialize   Postnatal: environmental constraints, nutrition, learning 

Concept 5: 

What are the 3 phases of development in a fetus

• Germinal growth: egg and sperm fusing in fertilization, the beginning of growth process

• Embryonic growth: Begins when the cell implants into the uterine wall

• Fetal: continued growth by hyperplasia and hypertrophy. 

When are the 3 phases: germinal, embryonic, and fetal in terms of development

• Germinal growth: conception to 2 weeks

• Embryonic growth: 2-8 weeks

• Fetal growth: 8 weeks- birth

What is abnormal development and how does it happen

• Abnormal development refers to any deviation from typical or expected patterns of physical, cognitive, social, or motor development

• It may arise from congenital defects (anomalies present at birth)

• Genetic factors inherited from dominant or recessive genes

• A new mutation, the alteration or deletion of a gene during the formation of the egg or sperm

Concept 6: 

What is peak-height velocity and why is it important

• Peak height velocity is the time when a child grows the fastest during their adolescent growth spurt. Marking a critical period of physical and physiological development. It provides valuable insights into growth patterns, maturation, and athletic development.

Describe the key differences between boys and girls when it comes to growth and maturation

• Girls: peak height velocity occurs at 11.5-12 years, the growth in height tapers off around 14 and ends at 16

• Boys: peak height velocity occurs at 13.5-14 years. Growth tapers off around 17 and ends at 18

• Longer growth period of males contributes to larger height differences

Distance vs velocity curves

• Distance curves show the extent of growth 

• Velocity curves show the rate of growth

Other: 

When does the heart start beating

• Heart starts beating 18 days 

Universality vs specificity

• Universality: individuals in a species show great similarity in development

• Specificity: individual variations