Motor Skills: Classification, Analysis, and Task Regulation

Classifications of Motor Skills

A motor skill is any competence acquired by an individual to perform a particular task. It involves solving specific motor problems efficiently and economically to achieve a precise objective. Motor skills are learned and depend on the individual's ability to adapt their responses.

System of Classification and Analysis

Motor skills and tasks are classified based on perceptual decision-making, implementation, and motion control demands.

Environmental Influence

• Predominantly Perceptive: Motor execution is mediated by situational changes in the environment.
• Predominantly Usual: Environmental conditions are stable and predictable.

Poulton's Classification

• Open Tasks: Require extrinsic feedback.
• Closed Tasks: Movement is controlled by intrinsic feedback, making implementation more predictable.

Temporal Regulation

• External Regulation: Predominantly perceptual and open exercises.
• Self-Regulation: External regulation and closed tasks.
• Mixed Regulation: A combination of both.

Mobilization and Object Interaction

Gentile categorized motor actions involving objects into:

• Modifying posture or self-mobilization.
• Manipulating objects.

Fitts analyzed motor tasks based on object handling:

• Static person and static object.
• Moving person and static object.
• Static person and moving object.
• Moving person and moving object.

Higgins' Environmental Conditions

Higgins introduced spatial and temporal uncertainty:

• Tasks without major spatial or temporal constraints (e.g., pine).
• Tasks with predominantly spatial constraints (e.g., acrobatic gymnastics).
• Tasks with predominantly temporal constraints (e.g., basketball).
• Tasks with high spatial and temporal conditioning (e.g., fencing).

Decision-Making in Motor Tasks

Level of Uncertainty

In self-regulatory tasks, uncertainty is almost zero. However, unpredictable events can increase complexity.

Level of Risk

The decision to act depends on the learner's confidence, learning level, and risk tolerance.

Sequential Decisions

Low Organizational Tasks (e.g., football) involve a variable sequence of decisions.

High Organizational Tasks (e.g., long jump) have a fixed action sequence (run-up, whip, flight, fall).