Study Guide for Test #4
1. Attention is a limited resource
Define the term attention as it relates to the performance of motor skills.
Discuss the similarities and differences between the central-resource and multipleresource theories of attention is explaining multitasking.
Identify and discuss the dual-task technique used to assess attention demands of
motor skill performance.
Define the term attentional focus as it relates to the performance of motor skills.
Explain the movement versus movement effect of attentional focus in motor skill
performance.
Define the term automaticity as it relates to performance of motor skills.
Discuss how skills become automated.
Explain the differences between selective attention and visual search.
Discuss how we select visual cues using the feature integration theory.
Explains the relationship between intended actions and visual search when
performing a motor skill.
Identify and describe the attention allocation rules related to visual search when
performing motor skills.
Discuss the characteristics of visual search involving selective open motor skills
(badminton return, tennis return, baseball batting, soccer actions, shooting a
basketball, driving a car, prehension while walking and locomoting through a
cluttered environment).
Discuss the characteristics of visual search involving selective close skills
(basketball free throw, putting a golf ball).
Discuss and identify the various training visual search strategies as it relates to
performing a motor skill.
2. Memory, components, forgetting, and strategies.
Define working memory and discuss it’s function, the length of time information can
remain in each, the capacity and processing activities of working memory.
Define long term memory and discuss three types of information that is stored in
long term memory.
Define and discuss the differences between declarative and procedural knowledge
and provide an example of each.
Define and discuss the two tests used to assess remembering and forgetting.
Identify and discuss the three causes of forgetting.
Describe the differences between proactive interference and retro active
interference and provide an example of each.
Identify and discuss the two movement characteristics that are related to memory
performance.
Identify and discuss the three general strategies that helps one to remember a
movement or sequence of movements that must be performed.
Define the encoding specificity principle as it relates to practice or test contexts
associated with the performance of motor skills
3. Defining and assessing learning
Define and discuss the differences between performance and learning.
Identify and discuss the five performance characteristics that demonstrates one is
learning the motor skill.
Discuss what learning characteristic can be assessed from performance curves
involving both outcome and kinematic measures.
Describe what learning characteristics can be assessed from a retention test.
Describe what learning characteristic is assessed from a transfer test.
Discuss the difference between a novel context and novel skill transfer test and
provide an example of each as it relates to motor skill performance.
Identify and discuss the criteria for assessing learning of the dynamics of movement
coordination related to performing a skill.
Discuss two reasons performance during the practice of a motor skill may
misrepresent the amount of learning that occurred during practice.
Define the term performance plateaus and discuss the causes of why performance
plateaus occur and who they can be prevented.
4. The stages of learning
Describe characteristics of learner as they progress through the stages of learning as
proposed by Fitts and Posner and by Gentile.
Describe what teaching strategies the physical therapist, athletic trainer, physical
educator, sport coach, or exercise scientist should be providing the client, student,
or athlete at each stage.
Identify and discuss the changes in the performer and one performances across the
stages of learning.
Describe how one eventually becomes skilled enough to be an expert.
Discuss if one can predict future achievement or potential on the basis of beginning
performances.
5. Transfer of Learning
Define transfer of learning and it’s importance in physical therapy, athletic training,
exercise science, and teaching physical education.
Discuss how positive transfer occurs based upon identical element and transfer
appropriate processing theories.
Discuss the relationship between practice and test contexts applied to motor or
sport skills performances.
Define negative transfer and discuss the causes of negative transfer situations.
Define bilateral transfer and discuss how it relates to rehabilitation, training, and
development of motor skills.
Discuss the differences between symmetry and asymmetry of bilateral transfer .
Identify and discuss why bilateral transfer occurs using the cognitive and motor
control explanation.