Week 3: Motor Control Theories
KIN 479: Motor Control - Sections 19617 & 19821
Welcome to Week 3
This week focuses on motor control theories, exploring the different perspectives and models that explain how the nervous system controls movement. You’ll engage with key concepts related to the structure and function of the nervous system, as well as the integration of sensory and motor processes.
Objectives
- Discuss the relevance of motor control theory for the practitioner
- Define the term coordination
- Describe the degrees of freedom problem
- Compare and contrast an open-loop control system and a closed-loop control system
- Describe a primary difference between a motor program–based theory and a dynamical systems theory of motor control
- Define a generalized motor program and describe an invariant feature and a parameter proposed to characterize this program
- Define the following terms associated with dynamical systems theory: order and control parameters, self-organization, coordinative structures, perception-action coupling, affordances
- Discuss how a motor program–based theory and a dynamical systems theory each explain the relative-time characteristics of human walking and running
Required Readings
Magill & Anderson (2017) - chapter 5
Prepare
- Study the slides for this topic.
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Participate
- Monday: Complete the in-class activities scheduled for this week.
- Wednesday: Complete the in-class activities scheduled for this week.
Wk3 Lab - Spontaneous Coordination Transition
- Lab instructions here
Quick Review of the Dynamical Systems Theory: This theory emphasizes the role of self-organization and the interaction between the individual, task, and environment in motor control (Kelso, 1984). It suggests that movement patterns emerge naturally from these interactions rather than being pre-programmed. It contends that the nervous system, body, and environment work together to produce coordinated movement. Attractors are stable movement patterns that the system tends to adopt. Control emerges from the interaction of multiple subsystems, including the nervous system, musculoskeletal system, and environmental factors. Order parameters are variables that characterize the overall collective behavior of a system. These are variables that emerge from the nonlinear interactions of many individual components and “enslave” or govern their behavior. Control parameters are variables that can influence the stability of movement patterns. Relative phase is a measure of the timing relationship between two oscillating components of a movement pattern. Kelso’s experiment (Kelso, 1984) demonstrated that as the frequency of movement increases, individuals tend to transition from an anti-phase to an in-phase coordination pattern spontaneously. This transition is influenced by control parameters such as movement frequency and amplitude.
Practice
Use our StudyApp to review key concepts and test your knowledge.
The app includes flashcards, quizzes, and other interactive tools to help reinforce your understanding of the material.
Perform
- Monday: Review the slides and prepare for the in-class activities scheduled for this week - Exit Ticket.
- Wednesday: Take the in-class quiz and convert three multiple-choice questions to short answer format - 5 points.