Chapter 1: Classifying Motor Behavior: Actions, Movements, and Neuromotor Processes
1 Overviews
2 Introduction: More Than Meets the Eye
Imagine you’re tossing a ball with a friend. The task seems simple enough, but have you ever stopped to consider what’s really happening? That simple goal—getting the ball to your friend—is what we in motor learning call an action. But “under the hood,” your brain and body are orchestrating a symphony. The specific arc of your arm, the snap of your wrist, and the shift in your body weight are the movements you use to achieve that action. Deeper still, a cascade of invisible nerve signals is firing, activating specific muscle fibers in a precise sequence. These are the neuromotor processes that power the entire performance.
This document will demystify these three distinct levels of motor behavior. By understanding the difference between an action, a movement, and a neuromotor process, you’ll gain a powerful new lens for viewing how we learn, teach, and master any physical skill.
To frame your understanding, consider this analogy:
Think of it like planning a trip:
- The Action is your destination (e.g., “Get to the Grand Canyon”).
- The Movement is the route you take (e.g., driving, flying, taking a train).
- The Neuromotor Process is the complex engineering of the car’s engine that makes the driving possible.
Let’s break down each of these levels, starting from the top.
3 The Three Levels of Motor Behavior: A Top-Down Approach
Motor behavior can be analyzed at three distinct levels, each nested within the other. Understanding this hierarchy helps clarify how we approach learning and performance.
3.1 Level 1: The Action (The Goal)
Actions are activities or tasks that require voluntary control over movements of the joints and body segments to achieve a goal. An action is defined by its specific purpose. It answers the question, “What is the person trying to accomplish?” The focus here is on the outcome, not the specific way it is achieved.
Key examples of actions include:
- Walking from one location to another
- Throwing a ball to a target
- Picking up a cup (with the goal of drinking from it)
3.2 Level 2: The Movement (The “How”)
Movements are specific patterns of motion among joints and body segments used to accomplish action goals. Movements are the component parts of an action—they are the means by which an action goal is accomplished. Crucially, a variety of different movements can be used to achieve the same action. This is known as a “many-to-one” relationship. For example, to achieve the action of throwing a ball to a friend, you could use several different movements:
- An overhand throw
- A sidearm throw
- An underhand toss
The relationship also works in the other direction. A single movement pattern can be used to achieve multiple, distinct action goals depending on the context. This is the “one-to-many” relationship. Movie fans might recall the classic “wax-on-wax-off” scene from The Karate Kid. In one context, that circular hand movement serves the action goal of polishing a car. In another, the very same movement serves the action goal of blocking an attack. This shows that the purpose a movement fulfills is entirely determined by the context in which it occurs.
3.3 Level 3: The Neuromotor Process (The “Engine Room”)
Neuromotor processes are the mechanisms within the central and peripheral nervous system, as well as the muscular system, that underlie the control of movements and actions. These processes are the deepest, most fundamental layer of motor behavior and cannot be observed with the naked eye. They involve the complex interplay of nerve impulses, muscle fiber activation, and coordination signals that make movement possible. This level answers the question, “What is happening in the nervous system and muscles to produce the movement?”
3.4 Summary Table: The Levels at a Glance
This table provides a quick, comparative summary of the three levels of motor behavior.
Level Core Idea Simple Example Action The overall goal or purpose of the task. The “what.” Walking across the room. Movement The specific body and limb motions used to achieve the action goal. The “how.” The specific pattern of leg swings and arm counter-rotations used. Neuromotor Process The underlying neural and muscular activity that produces the movement. The “engine.” The sequence of neural signals sent to activate the quadriceps and hamstring muscles.
Understanding what these levels are is the first step. Next, we’ll explore why this distinction is so important.
4 Why This Distinction Is Crucial for Learning and Performance
Distinguishing between actions, movements, and neuromotor processes isn’t just an academic exercise. It has powerful, practical implications for anyone learning a new skill, coaching an athlete, or helping a patient in rehabilitation.
4.1 It Defines the Correct Priorities for Learning
This framework reveals a clear hierarchy that should guide how we teach and learn new skills. Effective learning progresses in a specific order:
- Understand the Action Goal: The first priority for any learner is to understand the purpose of the skill. What are they trying to accomplish?
- Discover the Best Movement: The second priority is to explore and discover a movement strategy that successfully achieves the action goal. This movement should be tailored to the learner’s unique characteristics.
- Refine the Neuromotor Processes: The final step is to refine the chosen movement, making it more efficient and consistent. This happens as the underlying neuromotor processes become more coordinated through practice.
A common mistake is to teach a specific, rigid movement pattern before the learner fully understands the action goal. This approach makes learners less actively involved and less able to problem-solve independently.
4.2 It Acknowledges that Everyone Moves Uniquely
Not all people can—or should—use the exact same movement pattern to achieve an action goal. This framework encourages learners to discover a movement that is effective for their individual body size, abilities, and physical characteristics.
History is filled with elite athletes who achieved incredible success by using unique movements:
- Rick Barry: The Hall of Fame basketball player made 90% of his free throws by shooting “granny style” with two hands, a movement pattern vastly different from his peers.
- Dick Fosbury: He revolutionized the sport of high jumping at the 1968 Olympics by introducing the “Fosbury Flop,” a backward-arching movement that was completely new at the time.
Both athletes succeeded by discovering a unique movement that worked best for them to achieve their sport’s action goal.
4.3 It Clarifies How We Measure Success
Different measures are used to evaluate performance at each level. This allows coaches, therapists, and researchers to assess performance with greater precision by choosing measures appropriate for the question they are asking. For example, one could measure whether the action goal was achieved (e.g., did the ball go in the basket?) or analyze the specific characteristics of the movement (e.g., what was the angle of elbow extension?).
Now that we understand the theoretical importance of this distinction, let’s see how it applies to specific professions.
5 A Practical Guide for Future Professionals
Understanding this hierarchy provides a powerful framework for helping others learn and improve motor skills. Here is a practical guide for applying these concepts.
5.1 For Kinesiologists and Coaches
When working with athletes, prioritize the action goal first. Before correcting technique, evaluate whether the athlete is consistently achieving the purpose of the skill. Remember that different athletes can achieve success with different movements. Rather than enforcing a single “correct” technique, guide athletes to discover the movement solutions that are most effective for their unique bodies and abilities.
5.2 For Physical Therapists (PTs)
In rehabilitation, focus a patient’s initial efforts on the functional action goal. For example, the primary goal might be “walking to the kitchen” or “standing up from a chair.” The specific movement pattern the patient uses to achieve this can be refined over time and may naturally differ from a “textbook” pattern due to injury, pain, or other factors. The priority is re-establishing the ability to achieve the functional goal.
5.3 For Occupational Therapists (OTs)
When helping clients with activities of daily living, emphasize the successful completion of the action goal. The primary objective might be for a client to pick up a cup and drink from it. The specific grip or arm motion (the movement) that the client discovers to achieve this is more important than conforming to a single, prescribed method. Success is measured by the accomplishment of the daily task.
6 Conclusion: Seeing the Whole Picture
The performance of any skill, no matter how simple it appears, is built upon three layers: the action (the goal), the movement (the strategy to achieve the goal), and the neuromotor process (the underlying mechanics).
The single most important takeaway from this framework is that a “goal-first” approach is essential for effective learning, coaching, and rehabilitation. By prioritizing the action, we empower individuals to explore, problem-solve, and discover their own best way to perform a skill.
So the next time you pick up a tennis racket, learn a new dance step, or teach a child to ride a bike, look past the specific movements. Start by asking: “What is the goal?” By seeing the whole picture, you unlock a more intuitive, effective, and personal path to mastery.
6.1 Frequently Asked Questions
An Action is the goal or purpose of the task (e.g., “walking to the store”). A Movement is the specific pattern of limb and body motions used to achieve that goal (e.g., the specific leg gait).
No. Movements are the means by which actions are accomplished. You cannot achieve a physical goal without moving.
It means that many different movements can be used to achieve one action goal. For example, you can walk up stairs, run up stairs, or hop up stairs—different movements, same action goal (“get to the top”).
It means that one specific movement pattern can serve many different action goals depending on the context. For example, a “wax on” circular hand motion can polish a car or block a punch.
Because they are the invisible, underlying mechanisms (neural signals, muscle activation) that power and control the visible movements. Like a car engine, you don’t see them working, but nothing moves without them.
Because focusing on the goal first allows the learner to problem-solve and discover the movement strategy that works best for their unique body. It encourages adaptability rather than rigid conformity to a “perfect” technique.
No. Many elite athletes (like Dick Fosbury or Rick Barry) use unique, non-standard movements to achieve their action goals. This proves that there is no single “correct” way to move for everyone.
7 Test your Knowledge
Take the quiz to test your knowledge of the material in this chapter. At the end of the quiz, you will be given a personalized study plan to help you master the material.