THEORIES & TENETS OF MOTOR

LEARNING
TERMINOLOGY
Degrees of Freedom
the options or possibilities available within the human body to perform a
movement.

Coordination
effectively and efficiently patterning body movements by constraining the
available degrees of freedom to achieve the goal of the skill.

TERMINOLOGY
Skilled Motor Behavior
a performance wherein environmental parameters have been selected and
degrees of freedom condensed to produce an appropriate action.

Motor Skill
a performance with a goal accomplished by voluntary body movement.

Characteristics of Motor Skills

There must be an achievable goal.
It must be voluntarily performed.
Body movement is required to achieve the goal.
Assumptions that Characterize Motor
Learning Theories
It is a process within the individual that results in a
relatively permanent change to enhance motor
performance.
It is NOT directly observable.
It is a result of practice and experience rather than
maturation, temporary states or instinct.

Ecological Theory
Explains human movement in which the individual
interacts with the environment and that interactions is
based upon the individuals perception.
There is a diminished role of memory.

Does not explain how a motor program can be developed.

FITTS & POSNER’S MODEL FOR MOTOR

SKILL LEARNING
Stage 1 - Cognitive - form the overall concept of the
motor skill.
Through the senses (vision, kinesthesis, audition).
Observation
Verbal Feedback
Muscle Spindles

FITTS & POSNER Stage 1

The learner is trying to define the goal and general
methods for achievement.
Learner knows that their movement is not the desired
one, but does not know how to correct.
Frequent errors make the performance quite variable.
Learner discovers dimensions of time, space, force and
flow.

FITTS & POSNER Stage 2 - Associative

Stage
Where performance becomes consistent.
Learner comprehends how parts of the movement relate to one another.

Becomes more biomechanically efficient.

Errors are fewer.

Quality practice produces refinement of the skill.

Recognizes inappropriate performances.

FITTS & POSNER Stage 3 - Autonomous

Where movements appear automatic, stable and
effortless.
Ability to focus attention on other details of the environment.

Ability to self correct and make minute adjustments.

ADAMS 2-Stage Model

Stage 1 - Verbal/Motor - combination of the
cognitive/associative stages.
Stage 2 - Autonomous Stage.

GENTILE’S 2-Stage Model

Stage 1 - Getting the Idea of the Movement
Determine the relevance of information that will influence the movement
during performance.

During practice, the goal is to develop the overall movement pattern.

GENTILE’S 2-Stage Model

Stage 2 - Fixation/Diversification
Fixation - for closed skills that require consistent repetition of the same action

Diversification - for skills that require variability of action

VEREIJKEN 3-Stage Model

Stage 1 - Novice
Person is trying to reduce the degrees of freedom.
Freezing out - when body segments appear stiff.

VEREIJKEN 3-Stage Model

Stage 2 - Advanced
where joints and body segments are most coordinated.

Stage 3 - Expert
combines efficiency and effectiveness.