Motor Control, Learning, Development and Behavior

Summary

This video explains the key concepts of motor skills, motor control, motor learning, motor development, and motor behavior, emphasizing their differences. Motor skills are tasks requiring voluntary body movement to achieve a goal, while motor control focuses on how the neuromuscular system coordinates these movements. Motor learning covers acquiring, improving, or relearning skills, and motor development explores how these processes change across the lifespan. Finally, motor behavior involves the execution of motor skills, influenced by the skill itself, the environment, and the individual performing it.

Takeaways

• 😀 Motor skills are tasks performed with a goal in mind, requiring voluntary control over the body’s movements.
• 😀 Motor control refers to how the neuromuscular system coordinates muscles and body segments to perform motor skills.
• 😀 The central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (nerves and sensory input) are both involved in motor control.
• 😀 Motor learning involves acquiring a new skill, improving an existing skill, or relearning a skill after an injury or disruption.
• 😀 Motor development examines how motor control and learning change throughout a person’s lifespan, from infancy to old age.
• 😀 Motor behavior refers to the performance of a motor skill and is influenced by the skill itself, the environment, and the individual performing it.
• 😀 The complexity and coordination requirements of a motor skill influence how it is performed.
• 😀 The performance environment plays a significant role in motor behavior, affecting how skills are executed.
• 😀 The individual performing the motor skill—considering both their physical and psychological characteristics—affects motor behavior.
• 😀 The performance of a motor skill is affected by three main factors: the skill itself, the environment, and the person performing it.

Q & A

What is a motor skill?

A motor skill is an activity or task where we achieve a specific goal by voluntarily moving and coordinating the body.

What does motor control refer to?

Motor control refers to how the neuromuscular system activates and coordinates muscles and body segments to accurately perform a motor skill.

What are the key components involved in motor control?

Motor control involves both central factors (the brain and spinal cord) and peripheral factors (nerves and sensory input).

How is motor learning defined?

Motor learning is the process of acquiring, improving, or relearning a motor skill. This can involve learning a new skill, enhancing an existing one, or regaining a skill after an injury.

What is motor development?

Motor development refers to the changes in motor control and motor learning as individuals grow and mature, spanning from infancy to old age.

How does growth and maturation influence motor skills?

Growth and maturation affect motor control and motor learning, shaping how individuals acquire and perform motor skills throughout their lifespan.

What is meant by motor behavior?

Motor behavior refers to the actual performance or execution of a motor skill, influenced by the skill itself, the environment, and the individual performing the skill.

What factors influence motor skill performance?

Motor skill performance depends on the nature of the skill, the performance environment, and the individual performer’s physical and psychological characteristics.

Why is it important to understand motor behavior?

Understanding motor behavior helps explain how different factors, such as skill difficulty, coordination, and environment, impact how well an individual performs a motor skill.

What does the term 're-acquisition' of a motor skill mean?

Re-acquisition of a motor skill refers to the process of relearning a motor skill that was once learned but lost, often due to injury or other disruptions.