Individual Differences

• Stable, enduring differences among people in terms of performance on a task
• Factors include: 
• Height
• Attitudes
• Body Type
• Cultural Background
• Psychological  make-up
• Learning Style
• Developmental Level
• Motivational Level
• Previous social experiences
• Previous movement experiences
• Physiological make-up
  
• Abilities
  

Abilities

• Capability:
• ability - capacity of the individual that is related to the performance of a variety of tasks
• 
  
• Fleishman (1972) identified: (review these on p. 17 in text)

• Control Precision
• Multi-limb coordination
• Response Orientation
• Reaction Time
• Limb Movement Speed
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Wrist, finger speed
• Manual dexterity
• Finger dexterity
• Rate control
• Aiming

• Static Strength
• Dynamic Strength
• Explosive Strength
• Trunk Strength
• Extent Flexibility
• Dynamic Flexibility
• Gross Body Coordination
• Gross Body Equilibrium
• Stamina

General Motor Ability

• Is there a single, global GMA?
•  
• Is there a specificity of motor abilities?

Predicting Potential Success

• prediction accuracy
• 
  
• Why?
• needed abilities change as one learns a skill
• children mature at different rates

  Conduct a task analysis

•     value?
•     Examples:

• must identify essential abilities
• usually use test batteries (series of tests)

examples:

 

As a movement practitioner, keep in mind…

• Expect people to have different motor ability patterns
• Specific patterns facilitate performance on some tasks more than others
• Ability patterns are only one factor which contributes to overall performance

Be sure to complete reading chapter 1, review your notes and then complete at least the first page of the chapter 1 review sheet.  Bring your written answers along with your text book and lab manual to lab this week.

Based on: Coker, C.A. (2009). Motor learnining & control (2nd ed..). Scottsdale, AZ: Holcomb Hathaway.

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