bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Affective Learning Profiles in Compulsory High School Physical Education: An Instructional Communication Perspective
Authors: Webster Collin , Mîndrilă Diana , Weaver Glenn
Published: August 2016

Affective learning is a major focus of the national K-12 physical education (PE) content standards (National Association for Sport and Physical Education [NASPE, 2004]). Understanding how students might fit into different affective learning subgroups would help extend affective learning theory in PE and suggest possible intervention strategies for teachers wanting to increase students’ affective learning. The present study used cluster analysis (CA) and latent profile analysis (LPA) to develop a two-level affective learning-based typology of high school students in compulsory PE from an instructional communication perspective. The optimal classification system had ten clusters and four latent profiles. A comparison of students’ class and cluster memberships showed that the two classification procedures yielded convergent results, thus suggesting distinct affective learning profiles. Students’ demographic and biographical characteristics, including gender, race, body mass index, organized sport participation, and free time physical activity, were helpful in further characterizing each profile.
Teacher Fidelity to One Physical Education Curricular Model
Authors: Kloeppel Tiffany , Kulinna Pamela Hodges , Stylianou Michalis , van der Mars Hans
Published: August 2016

This study addressed teachers’ fidelity to one Physical Education curricular model. The theoretical framework guiding this study included professional development and fidelity to curricular models. In this study, teachers’ fidelity to the Dynamic Physical Education (DPE) curricular model was measured for high and nonsupport district groups. Participants were 20 Physical Education teachers. Ten teachers worked in a highly supportive district, while 10 teachers worked in nonsupportive districts. Data were collected using field notes, a DPE observation instrument, and informal interviews. Two themes emerged from the data: (a) district support led to higher teacher fidelity levels to the DPE curriculum, and (b) the teachers from the nonsupport district implemented management procedures differently than the high support district teachers.
Secondary Physical Educators and Sport Content: A Love Affair
Authors: Ferry Matthew , McCaughtry Nate
Published: August 2016

Despite the expansion and diversification of contemporary physical activity culture, curricula of many secondary physical education programs remain narrowly comprised of sport content. Given the personal and contextual nature of teaching and the immense amount of control teachers exercise over their programs, we examined how a group of 15 secondary physical educators selected content. Using Interpretive methodology we spent two school years working with the teachers. The main finding of this study revealed that the deeply embodied biographically based emotional connections these teachers had with sports played a powerful role in how they selected content. In particular, we found that the teachers’ discussion of their emotional bonds with sports were very akin to how one might explain a love affair. Sternberg’s (1986) Triangular Theory of Love and other literature are used to explain what this love affair may mean for all stakeholders concerned with curricula in secondary physical education.
Meaningful Learning in Professional Development: Teaching Without Telling
Authors: Patton Kevin , Parker Melissa , Pratt Erica
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the pedagogy of facilitation within physical education professional development (PD). Specific research questions were: 1) What were the self-identified pedagogical strategies employed by facilitators in PD?, and 2) From the perspective of the participants, what strategies contributed to their growth as learners? Participants included fifteen PD facilitators and 88 teachers from eight selected professional learning communities in the U.S. and Europe. Data sources included interviews, artifacts, and field notes. Three participant-centered pedagogical strategies reflected facilitators’ methods and teachers’ perceptions: (a) learning as doing: providing structure without dictating, (b) learning as trying: creating and testing new ideas, and (c) learning as sharing: public presentation of work. By teaching without telling, purposeful facilitator actions contributed to the development of an environment that encouraged teachers to become active participants in the creation of knowledge and development of professional capital.
A Multi-Case Study of Teacher Planning in Physical Education
Authors: Placek Judith H.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine how four physical education teachers planned lessons. The multi-case approach provided a naturalistic, descriptive account of planning at two levels: daily and yearly plans. Two general research questions guided this study: How do the subjects plan for class in terms of time, setting, and so forth? What factors influence their planning patterns? Four teachers were observed over an intensive 2-week period for data collection. Data consisted of observations, interviews, and excerpts from documents and records. The researcher assumed the role of participant-observer and remained in the school for the entire school day during the data collection. The results indicated that the four teachers did not use the classical ends/means model for planning but instead employed informal planning habits that typically focused on daily activities, not coherent efforts to match objectives with content. This pattern does not necessarily produce disorganized classes, however, as the researcher described the teachers as having positive in-class instructional behaviors. It is suggested that the teachers did in fact plan for classes, however briefly or informally.
What Preservice Physical Education Teachers See in an Unguided, Early Field Experience
Authors: Bell Rick , Barrett Kate R. , Allison Pamela C.
Published: August 2016

The ability of physical education teachers to observe the movement response of the learner and the environment in which the response takes place is crucial in effective instruction. This study is an initial attempt to identify what a group of 21 preservice physical education teachers reported seeing in a 15-minute games lesson with fourth-grade students. An analytic inductive strategy was employed to categorize the data at two levels of specificity. Results indicated that as a group the preservice teachers focused on a broad range of teacher and student behaviors and lesson elements, but as individuals they had a more limited focus of attention. Level 2 analysis revealed that only 10% of the recorded statements focused on the movement responses of the children and no statements related to the learning environment. If teacher educators deem it important that their majors notice teacher and student behaviors as well as lesson elements, they have to plan more carefully for this to occur, particularly with majors early in their professional education.
The Moral Judgment of Physical Education Teachers
Authors: Henkel Steven A. , Earls Neal F.
Published: August 2016

A theoretical framework was developed to frame research on the moral thought and actions of teachers and students. The moral judgment of K-12 physical education teachers (n = 47) was investigated to determine their characteristic types of moral judgment, the amount of variability in moral judgment, and how this variability was distributed with regard to gender, teaching level, formal education, amount of coaching experience, type of coaching involvement, and coaching aspiration. Moral judgment was assessed according to Rest’s (1979b) Defining Issues Test. The largest differences were revealed for the coaching related subgroups. The total sample mean P (principled reasoning) score of 37.8% was lower than the normative mean for comparison groups in other studies employing the DIT.
The Concerns of Physical Education Student Teachers: A Developmental View
Authors: Boggess Teresa E. , McBride Ronald E. , Griffey David C.
Published: August 2016

This study was conducted to assess the level of concern that exists in physical education student teachers with regard to self, task, and impact—three areas of concern identified by Frances Fuller and her colleagues during the 1960s and 1970s. The study follows the changes in the level of concern during the student teaching semester. Information gathered was subjected to factor analysis where it was found that Fuller’s three constructs did not exist among the physical education student teachers sampled. Rather, a more elaborate pattern of concern development was uncovered than that reported in previous work. The authors make recommendations for the supervisors of student teachers as a result of these findings.
The Characteristics of Tasks and Accountability in Student Teaching
Authors: Tinning Richard , Siedentop Daryl
Published: August 2016

Doyle’s concepts of task structures and the notion of accountability were applied to the student teaching process. Qualitative research strategies were used to gather data for one intern in two settings across an entire academic term. Three main task systems were identified. The contingencies supporting the task structures were less readily identified than for previous classroom and gymnasium research. Accountability systems tended to be less formal. The intern must balance the demands of task systems that produce consequences from pupils, the cooperating teacher, and the university supervisor. Monitoring and feedback from the supervisor and cooperating teacher appear to play an important informal role in the development of intern performance across time.
Relationship of Engagement and Practice Trials to Student Achievement
Authors: Silverman Stephen
Published: August 2016

This study investigated relationships between two groups of process variables, student engagement and practice trials, and achievement. The effect of initial skill level and class membership in these relationships was also examined. Students (N = 57 after attrition) were pretested, instructed, and posttested on a swimming skill. The two instructional periods were videotaped and coded for motor engagement, cognitive engagement, and the quantity, type, and difficulty level of practice trials. Motor and cognitive engagement were not significant predictors of achievement for the entire sample. Whole-appropriate practice trials were positive predictors of achievement and whole-inappropriate practice trials were negative predictors of achievement. A variety of significant relationships were found when data were analyzed by skill level and class. The data indicate that engagement paradigms may extend to psychomotor skill learning and that the type of practice trials are more important than simple engaged time.
Analysis of Visual Search Patterns of Dance Teachers
Authors: Petrakis Elizabeth
Published: August 2016

This investigation analyzed the visual search patterns of novice and expert dance teachers when viewing a live performance of a dance composition. The hypotheses tested were that (a) experts would not differ from novices in the number of eye fixations and duration of each, (b) the number of fixations and duration of each would differ between dances, and (c) expert teachers’ search patterns would differ from those of novice teachers. The subjects were four experts who averaged 25.5 years of teaching, and five novice teachers who averaged 2.4 years. To determine the ocular fixation and scanning patterns of subjects, the NAC Eye Movement Recorder, a corneal reflection technique, was used. The films were analyzed using a computer program designed to collect the data. Two 2 × 2 (expertise and dances) analyses of variance were used to determine the differences in the number of fixations, duration of fixations, and differences of variable between dances. Chi-square was used to determine the location of scan patterns. Results indicated that the level of expertise did not influence the number or duration of each eye fixation, but the task being observed did influence these variables. Individual differences in visual scanning patterns were found among and within both groups.
Descriptive Analysis of Coach Augmented Feedback Given to High School Varsity Female Volleyball Players
Authors: Markland Regina , Martinek Thomas J.
Published: August 2016

This study examined the nature and amount of feedback that more successful and less successful high school varsity volleyball coaches gave to their starting and nonstarting volleyball players. Two of the four coaches studied were considered more successful and two were considered less successful, based on previous regular season win-loss percentages. Players of all the coaches (N=41) were also used as subjects and identified as having either a starting or nonstarting role on the team. All subjects were observed on three occasions for 30 minutes per observation during regular season practice. The Cole Descriptive Analysis System (Cole-DAS) was used to observe coach augmented feedback as it was given to individual players in response to skilled performance. A 2 × 2 multivariate analysis of variance was used to describe the effects of (a) success of the coach, (b) role of the player, and (c) both success of the coach and role of the player on the dependent variables of coach augmented feedback. Results indicated that successful coaches varied considerably from less successful coaches in the types of feedback given to their players. Starting players were also found to receive significantly more audio, audiovisual, and immediate terminal feedback than nonstarting players.
Improving Physical Fitness in High School Students: Implications from an Experimental Course
Authors: Phillipp Annette , Piland Neill F. , Seidenwurm Jerry , Smith Howard L.
Published: August 2016

Educators are challenged to create conditions under which instruction has a reasonable probability of improving students’ knowledge and behavior. In high school physical education courses this problem is accentuated when adolescents are not highly receptive to traditional methods of instruction. The answer may lie in curriculum design wherein courses are better packaged to maintain student interest and involvement. The Albuquerque Public School System explored this concept during two consecutive summer terms. An innovative physical education course incorporating unique field experiences, high levels of participation, and reinforcement of individual responsibility was designed and implemented in a pilot project. When compared to traditional physical education classes, mixed results were obtained for various physical fitness measures and knowledge scores. The implications for designing physical education courses are discussed.
Sex-Role Stereotyping Behaviors among Elementary, Junior, and Senior High School Physical Education Specialists
Authors: McBride Ron E.
Published: August 2016

Six physical education specialists—two elementary, two junior high, and two high school (three males and three females)—were studied in an attempt to discern possible sex-role stereotyping in their classes. Data were triangulated from teacher observations, a sex-role inventory, and junior and senior high school student perceptions of teacher treatment in physical education classes. Results revealed that the female teachers used more managerial cues in their classes and called boys by name more frequently than did male teachers. Two male teachers were classified as being gender typed, but results from students of both sexes revealed no perceived differential treatment in class. From this teacher sample, the results suggest that perhaps the gymnasium is not quite the bastion of gender typing as is often assumed. Due to the small sample size, results were not generalized to a larger population and thus additional research is recommended.
Clinical Biomechanics: Contributions to the Medical Treatment of Physical Abnormalities
Authors: Hamill Joseph , Gorton George , Masso Peter
Published: August 2016

Biomechanics is defined as the application of the laws of mechanics to the study or structure and function of movement. It is a relatively new subdiscipline to the domain of kinesiology. Biomechanics was initially closely associated with the study of sports technique. However, over the years, biomechanics has taken on a much more diverse field of study. In this paper, we will describe the contributions that biomechanics has made to the area of clinical biomechanics research in terms of clinical assessment and outcomes and the design of clinical apparatus. The first example examines a clinical assessment of a cerebral palsy child. The goals of such a clinical assessment are 1) to determine the primary problems with the locomotion capabilities of the individual, 2) to recommend treatment options, and 3) to evaluate treatment outcomes. In the second example, a procedure is described for designing braces for scoliosis patients. For this example, a three-dimensional digital twin is developed using a scanning technique. This example illustrates the research conducted on developing a technique to noninvasively and safely determine the torso deformities resulting from scoliosis. While these examples are but two of a wide variety of examples that could be used, they illustrate the contribution of biomechanics to the clinical world.
Physical Activity and Fitness Effects on Cognition and Brain Health in Children and Older Adults
Authors: Chaddock Laura , Voss Michelle W. , Kramer Arthur F.
Published: August 2016

Our increasingly inactive lifestyle is detrimental to physical and cognitive health. This review focuses on the beneficial relation of physical activity and aerobic fitness to the brain and cognitive health in a youth and elderly population to highlight the need to change this pattern. In children, increased physical activity and higher levels of aerobic fitness have been associated with superior academic achievement and cognitive processes. Differences in brain volumes and brain function of higher-fit and lower-fit peers are potential mechanisms underlying the performance differences in cognitive challenges. We hope that this research will encourage modifications in educational policies that will increase physical activity during the school day. In addition, older adults who participate in physical activity show higher performance on a variety of cognitive tasks, coupled with less risk of cognitive impairment. The cognitive enhancements are in part driven by less age-related brain tissue loss and increases in the efficiency of brain function. Given the increasing aging population and threat of dementia, research about the plasticity of the elderly active brain has important public health implications. Collectively, the data support that participation in physical activity could enhance daily functioning, learning, achievement, and brain health in children and the elderly.
“And I Hope You See Things That Startle You”: What Students Can Teach Us About Physical Education
Authors: Cothran Donetta J.
Published: August 2016

Current conceptualizations of student learning recognize the active, constructivist, and mutually influential nature of student-teacher interactions in the shared class environment. Since students and teachers enter the classroom with potentially different prior experiences and current beliefs, their interpretation of class events may not be the same. Those differences may lead to misunderstandings and conflict; therefore, it is important to examine the student perspective on physical education. This paper offers two examples—curricular values and teaching styles—of student-teacher similarities and differences, and how those similarities and differences impact what does and does not happen in physical education class. A consistent theme across both examples is the importance of both achievement and nonachievement factors, and suggestions are offered for how physical education might better incorporate both factors to increase student learning and student and teacher enjoyment.
A Perspective on Human Movement Variability With Applications in Infancy Motor Development
Authors: Stergiou Nicholas , Yu Yawen , Kyvelidou Anastasia
Published: August 2016

Movement variability is considered essential to typical motor development. However, multiple theoretical perspectives and measurement tools have limited interpretation of the importance of movement variability in biological systems. The complementary use of linear and nonlinear measures have recently allowed for the evaluation of not only the magnitude of variability but also the temporal structure of variability. As a result, the theoretical model of optimal movement variability was introduced. The model suggests that the development of healthy and highly adaptable systems relies on the achievement of an optimal state of variability. Alternatively, abnormal development may be characterized by a narrow range of behaviors, some of which may be rigid, inflexible, and highly predictable or, on the contrary, random, unfocused, and unpredictable. In the present review, this theoretical model is described as it relates to motor development in infancy and specifically the development of sitting posture.
The Forced-Choice Certainty Method: A Review of an Underutilized Survey Approach
Authors: Seifried Chad
Published: August 2016

The measurement of decisions requiring a comparison between alternatives could be improved for researchers because limitations exist with the more traditional survey techniques. To address this concern, the purpose of this review centered on discussing the merits of the forced-choice certainty method against those offered by single-stimulus Likert scale and forced-choice survey instruments. Few reviews have used the forced-choice certainty method to test topics which involve comparison and to gather accurate information on consumers, commercial products and services, and other important issues of public debate. This has occurred due to some negative literature on forced-choice surveys and preferences shown for the various reliability and validity statistics that can be easily produced with single-stimulus Likert-scale instruments. Ultimately, this work attempts to help researchers better understand the contribution that the forced-choice certainty method can make and showcase it as a product resulting from the merger of both forced-choice and Likert-scale instruments.
Programming Physical Activity in Young Infants At-Risk for Early Onset of Obesity
Authors: Ulrich Dale A. , Hauck Janet L.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this article is to discuss the growing problem of very early onset of obesity occurring before two years of age and to review infant motor development, physical activity, and effective pediatric disability motor interventions that may offer potential strategies to help reduce this growing problem earlier in life. Based on the review of physical activity interventions used with infants with a disability, we will propose strategies to consider to program early physical activity exposures into nondisabled young infants who are at risk for obesity. These proposed physical activity strategies will need to be combined with successful public health approaches to reducing early onset of obesity during infancy. Lucas (1991) conceived the termprogrammingreferring to permanent or extended effects of an environmental exposure occurring during a sensitive developmental period. In this paper, we propose that a very sensitive period for early onset of obesity is the first six months of postnatal life. If innovative strategies to increase the frequency of daily exposures to physical activity in young infants can be identified, these strategies could be combined with current public health approaches to preventing obesity in women before, during, and following pregnancy. Given the complexity of the obesity problem, no single strategy for prevention should be expected to be very successful.
Dynamics of Bimanual Rhythmic Coordination in the Coronal Plane
Authors: Mitra Suvobrata , Amazeen Polemnia G. , Turvey Michael T.
Published: August 2016

We investigated the 1:1 frequency locking of two hand-held pendulums oscillated parallel to the body's coronal plane. In this configuration, anti-phase defined muscularly is in-phase defined spatially, and vice versa. Coordination equilibria measured by average relative phase were shifted less from muscular anti-phase than from muscular in-phase by detuning (unequal uncoupled pendulum frequencies) and were shifted less in both modes with vision than without. Variability of the equilibria, however, was ordered opposite to their degrees of shift and was unaffected by vision. Demonstrated subcritical pitchfork and tangent bifurcations conformed to the variability classification of anti- and in-phase coordination. Implications for dynamical models, hierarchical control, and definitions of coordination modes were discussed.
The Visual Regulation of Goal-Directed Reaching Movements in Adults with Williams Syndrome, Down Syndrome, and Other Developmental Delays
Authors: Elliott Digby , Welsh Timothy N. , Lyons James , Hansen Steve , Wu Melinda
Published: August 2016

Williams syndrome (WS) is a genetic disorder that causes general cognitive and developmental delays. Compared to persons with Down syndrome (DS) at the same developmental level, individuals with WS generally exhibit superior expressive language abilities, but have difficultly with tasks that require the visual control of movement. Recently it has been suggested that this latter problem reflects a deficit in dorsal stream function. In the present study, this hypothesis was investigated by examining the kinematics of rapid aiming movements. The performance of the participants with WS (n = 4) was compared to the performance of participants with DS (n = 8), with undifferentiated developmental delays (n = 8), and from the general population (n = 8). In partial support of the dorsal deficit hypothesis, the results suggest that, compared to people from the other groups, the participants with WS had difficulty in preparing their movements on the basis of the visual and other information available to them. This was particularly evident in their inability to properly scale movement velocities to the amplitude of the movements and in the number of discrete corrections made during movement execution.
Two-Handed Catching in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder
Authors: Astill Sarah , Utley Andrea
Published: August 2016

This study investigated the nature and extent of inter and intralimb coupling of the upper limbs in children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and their age-matched controls (AMC) when catching a ball two-handed. Sixteen children (8 DCD, 8 AMC) volunteered for the study; parental consent was gained for each child. Using standard video analysis and 3D kinematic analysis, all children were examined performing 30 two-handed catches. Video analysis showed that the AMC children caught more balls than the DCD children (p ≤ .005). Analyses of the kinematic data showed DCD participants exhibit a greater degree of linkage both between and within limb than the AMC participants (p ≤ .01), but the AMC participants demonstrate more intra individual variability in these linkages (p ≤ .01). The data shows that both DCD and AMC children couple their limbs to exert control over redundant degrees of freedom when catching a ball two-handed. However, DCD children show little capacity to vary their motor behavior exhibiting a less adaptable movement system, which in turn affects their success at the task.
Effects of a Prior Stretching of the Plantarflexor Muscles on the Capacity to Control Upright Stance Maintenance in Healthy Adults
Authors: Rougier Patrice , Burdet Cyril , Genthon Nicolas
Published: August 2016

To assess whether prior stretching of a muscle can induce improved postural control, 15 healthy adults stood still upright with their eyes closed before and after a series of bilateral stretches of the triceps surae muscles. The analysis focused on the center of pressure (CP) and the vertical projection of the center of gravity (CGv) trajectories and their difference (CP – CGv). The prolonged stretching induced a forward shift of the mean position of the CGv. The frequency analysis showed a constancy of the amplitudes of both basic movements whereas an increased mean power frequency was seen for the CP – CGv movements. A fractional Brownian motion modeling of the trajectories indicates shortest time intervals and lower covered distances by the CGv before a change in its control occurs along the antero-posterior axis. This reorganization is thought to be a result of improved body movement detection, which allows postural control over the longest time intervals to be triggered more rapidly.
Planning “Discrete” Movements Using a Continuous System: Insights from a Dynamic Field Theory of Movement Preparation
Authors: Schutte Anne R. , Spencer John P.
Published: August 2016

The timed-initiation paradigm developed by Ghez and colleagues (1997) has revealed two modes of motor planning: continuous and discrete. Continuous responding occurs when targets are separated by less than 60° of spatial angle, and discrete responding occurs when targets are separated by greater than 60°. Although these two modes are thought to reflect the operation of separable strategic planning systems, a new theory of movement preparation, the Dynamic Field Theory, suggests that two modes emerge flexibly from the same system. Experiment 1 replicated continuous and discrete performance using a task modified to allow for a critical test of the single system view. In Experiment 2, participants were allowed to correct their movements following movement initiation (the standard task does not allow corrections). Results showed continuous planning performance at large and small target separations. These results are consistent with the proposal that the two modes reflect the time-dependent “preshaping” of a single planning system.
Postural Control in Down Syndrome: The Use of Somatosensory and Visual Information to Attenuate Body Sway
Authors: Gomes Matheus M. , Barela José A.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of visual and somatosensory information on body sway in individuals with Down syndrome (DS). Nine adults with DS (19–29 years old) and nine control subjects (CS) (19–29 years old) stood in the upright stance in four experimental conditions: no vision and no touch; vision and no touch; no vision and touch; and vision and touch. In the vision condition, participants looked at a target placed in front of them; in the no vision condition, participants wore a black cotton mask. In the touch condition, participants touched a stationary surface with their right index finger; in the no touch condition, participants kept their arms hanging alongside their bodies. A force plate was used to estimate center of pressure excursion for both anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions. MANOVA revealed that both the individuals with DS and the control subjects used vision and touch to reduce overall body sway, although individuals with DS still oscillated more than did the CS. These results indicate that adults with DS are able to use sensory information to reduce body sway, and they demonstrate that there is no difference in sensory integration between the individuals with DS and the CS.
Impaired Object Manipulation in Mildly Involved Individuals with Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Krishnan Vennila , de Freitas Paulo Barbosa , Jaric Slobodan
Published: August 2016

We investigated hand function in mildly involved multiple sclerosis (MS) patients (N = 16; Expanded Disability Status Scale 1–5, 9-hole peg test 14–32 s) during static and dynamic manipulation tasks using an instrumented device. When compared with healthy controls (N = 16), the patients revealed impaired task performance regarding their ability to exert prescribed patterns of load force (L; force acting tangentially at the digits-object surface). Regarding the coordination of grip force (G; normal component) and L, the data only revealed an elevated G/L ratio, although both the G and L coupling (maximum correlation coefficients and the time lags between them) and the G modulation (gain and offset of G with respect to L) remained comparable in the two groups. Finally, most of the data suggested no MS-specific effects of switching from uni- to bimanual tasks, from available visual feedback to deprived feedback conditions. We conclude that the deterioration in the ability for precise control of external forces and overgripping could precede the decoupling of G and L and decreased G modulation in early phases of the disease. The results also suggest that the applied methodology could be sensitive enough to detect mild levels of impairment of hand function in MS and, possibly, other neurological diseases.
Effects of Object Size on Intralimb and Interlimb Coordination during a Bimanual Prehension Task in Patients with Left Cerebral Vascular Accidents
Authors: Wu Ching-yi , Chou Shih-han , Kuo Mei-ying , Chen Chiung-ling , Lu Tung-wu , Fu Yang-chieh
Published: August 2016

Stroke patients are often left with hemiplegia or hemiparesis of the upper extremities, severely limiting the ability to perform bimanual and functional activities. No studies have investigated how stroke patients adapt their movements to changes in object size in functionally asymmetric bimanual tasks. The influence of object size on intralimb and interlimb coordination during an asymmetrical, functional bimanual task was examined in patients with left cerebral vascular accidents (LCVA) and healthy controls. Fourteen LCVA patients and 13 age-matched controls were instructed to reach to grasp a large and a small jar with the right/affected hand and to open the cap with the other hand. Movement kinematics was analyzed for intralimb coordination (spatial and temporal planning of reaching and grasping) and interlimb coordination (bimanual synchronization and temporal association of the hands). The results demonstrate a spatial adaptation of reaching in the affected hand to the object size and deficits in temporal planning of grasping with the affected hand to object size in the stroke patients. Movement adaptations of the unaffected hand in the stroke patients were similar to those in the healthy adults. Bimanual coordination was independent of object size for both groups.
Sensorimotor Impairments and Strategies in Adults with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Carmeli Eli , Bar-Yossef Tamar , Ariav Claudette , Paz Rosy , Sabbag Hanna , Levy Ran
Published: August 2016

Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) show a greater tendency toward deconditioning and having a sedentary lifestyle than their peers without disabilities. The aim of this study was to characterize sensorimotor deficits through coordination tests and during static and dynamic balance. Eight tasks that involved the integration of hand movements with visual information were used here, as well as the Posture Scale Analyzer system to examine postural stability. During static and dynamic standing tests with the eyes closed, the postural stability of people with ID was accompanied by a small sway rate. In the ID group, the frontal plane movements were significantly larger (p > .05) than the sagittal plane movements. The participants with ID showed a significantly lower score than the control group in all the sensorimotor tests. Our observations on balance and coordination capabilities might have significance for understanding the mechanisms underlying movement dysfunction in adults with ID and offer some new approaches for their possible prevention.
Mechanical Analysis and Hierarchies of Multidigit Synergies during Accurate Object Rotation
Authors: Zhang Wei , Olafsdottir Halla B. , Zatsiorsky Vladimir M. , Latash Mark L.
Published: August 2016

We studied the mechanical variables (the grip force and the total moment of force) and multidigit synergies at two levels (the virtual finger-thumb level, VF-TH, and the individual finger level, IMRL) of a hypothetical control hierarchy during accurate rotation of a hand-held instrumented handle. Synergies were defined as covaried changes in elemental variables (forces and moments of force) that stabilize the output at a particular level. Indices of multidigit synergies showed higher values at the hierarchically higher level (VF-TH) for both normal and tangential forces. The moment of force was stabilized at both hierarchical levels during the steady-state phases but not during the movement. The results support the principles of superposition and of mechanical advantage. They also support an earlier hypothesis on an inherent tradeoff between synergies at the two hierarchical levels, although the controller showed more subtle and versatile synergic control than the one hypothesized earlier.
Stochastic Modeling of the Steady-State Variability in Isometric Force
Authors: Stitt Joseph P. , Newell Karl M.
Published: August 2016

This paper presents the stochastic modeling of isometric force variability in the steady-state time series recorded from the index finger of young adults in the act of attempting to hold different levels of constant force. The isometric force time series were examined by assuming that the stochastic (random) models were linear. System identification techniques were employed to estimate the parameters of each linear model. Once the models were parameterized, the values of the estimated parameters were compared to determine if a single linear time-invariant model was applicable across the entire isometric force range. Although the overall random models were found to be nonlinear functions of the target force level, within a fixed target level, linear modeling provided adequate estimates of the underlying processes thus enabling the use of well-known linear system identification algorithms.
Context-Dependent Modulation of Cutaneous Reflex Amplitudes during Forward and Backward Leg Cycling
Authors: Zehr E. Paul , Hundza Sandra R. , Balter Jaclyn E. , Loadman Pamela M.
Published: August 2016

We used amplitude modulation of cutaneous reflexes during leg cycling as a paradigm to investigate neural control mechanisms regulating forward (FWD) and backward (BWD) rhythmic limb movement. Our prediction was a simple reversal of reflex modulation during BWD leg cycling and context-dependent reflex modulation. Cutaneous reflexes were evoked by electrical stimulation delivered to the superficial peroneal (SP) and distal tibial (TIB) nerves at the ankle. EMG recordings were collected from muscles acting at the hip, knee, and ankle. Kinematic data were also collected at these joints. Cutaneous reflexes were analyzed according to the phase of movement in which they were evoked. When functional phases (i.e., flexion or extension) of cycling were matched between FWD and BWD, background EMG and reflex modulation patterns were generally similar. The reflex patterns when compared at similar functional phases presented as a simple reversal suggesting FWD and BWD cycling are regulated by similar neural mechanisms. The general reflex regulation of limb trajectory was maintained between cycling directions in accordance with the task requirements of the movement direction.
Characterization of Bi-Directional Movement Primitives and Their Agonist-Antagonist Synergy with the Delta-Lognormal Model
Authors: Woch Anna , Plamondon Réjean
Published: August 2016

A general definition of a movement primitive and of the elements that have to be taken into account in attempts to its characterization is proposed. As an example, the delta-lognormal model is used to define the kinematic primitives associated with rapid, stroke-like movements. The quantitative characteristics of the agonist-antagonist synergy that underlie a specific primitive predicted by the model, the bidirectional stroke, are described. The results reveal the existence of a universal correlation between the agonist and the antagonist neuromuscular systems that produce this primitive.
The “Mirror Box” Illusion: Effect of Visual Information on Bimanual Coordination in Children with Spastic Hemiparetic Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Feltham Max G. , Ledebt Annick , Bennett Simon J. , Deconinck Frederik J.A. , Verheul Martine H.G. , Savelsbergh Geert J.P.
Published: August 2016

The study examined symmetrical bimanual coordination of children with spastic hemiparetic cerebral palsy (SHCP) and a typically developing (TD) control group under conditions of visual feedback created by placing a glass screen, opaque screen or a mirror (“mirror box”) between the arms. The “mirror box” creates a visual illusion, which gives rise to a visual perception of a zero lag, symmetric movement between the two arms. Children with SHCP exhibited a similar mean coordination pattern as the TD control group, but had greater movement variability between the arms. Furthermore, movement variability in children with SHCP was significantly greater in the screen condition compared with the glass and mirror condition, which were similar to each other. The effects of the availability of visual feedback in individuals with hemiparesis are discussed with reference to central and peripheral mechanisms.
Cluster Analysis of Movement Patterns in Multiarticular Actions: A Tutorial
Authors: Rein Robert , Button Chris , Davids Keith , Summers Jeffery
Published: August 2016

The present paper proposes a technical analysis method for extracting information about movement patterning in studies of motor control, based on a cluster analysis of movement kinematics. In a tutorial fashion, data from three different experiments are presented to exemplify and validate the technical method. When applied to three different basketball-shooting techniques, the method clearly distinguished between the different patterns. When applied to a cyclical wrist supination-pronation task, the cluster analysis provided the same results as an analysis using the conventional discrete relative phase measure. Finally, when analyzing throwing performance constrained by distance to target, the method grouped movement patterns together according to throwing distance. In conclusion, the proposed technical method provides a valuable tool to improve understanding of coordination and control in different movement models, including multiarticular actions.
Motor Planning in Bimanual Object Manipulation: Two Plans for Two Hands?
Authors: Janssen Loes , Crajé Céline , Weigelt Matthias , Steenbergen Bert
Published: August 2016

We examined anticipatory motor planning and the interaction among both hands in a discrete bimanual task. To this end, participants had to grasp and manipulate two cylindrical objects simultaneously under varying conditions in which (a) the grip selection requirements, i.e., orientation of the to-be-grasped objects, differed between the two hands and (b) the type of grip for one hand was preinstructed, while the grip for the other hand was free choice. Results showed that participants, when grasping for two bars with a free grip choice, prioritized planning for comfortable end postures over symmetry of movement execution. Furthermore, when participants were free to choose a grip for their left hand, but were instructed on how to grasp an object with their right hand, we found no interaction between the grip selections of both hands, suggesting that motor planning proceeds independently for both hands.
Temporal Organization of Complex Onsets and Codas in American English: Testing the Predictions of a Gestural Coupling Model
Authors: Marin Stefania , Pouplier Marianne
Published: August 2016

This study systematically investigates the temporal organization of American English onset and coda consonant clusters on the basis of kinematic data. Results from seven speakers suggest that consonants in complex onsets are organized globally with respect to the following vowel, while consonants in complex codas are organized locally relative to the preceding vowel. These results support the competitive coupling model hypothesized for complex onsets, a model according to which consonant gestures in onsets are each coupled in-phase to the vowel, and antiphase with each other. The results are overall also consistent with the noncompetitive coupling relations assumed for codas, by which only the first consonant in a cluster is coupled antiphase with the vowel, and any subsequent consonants are coupled antiphase to each other. However, our data also show that the segmental composition of the cluster affects the timing relationship in codas, particularly /lC/ coda clusters pattern differently from other clusters and do not adhere to the predicted timing relations. The data contribute to our understanding of the interaction of linguistic structure and motor control of the articulators in speech production.
Interpersonal Distance Modeling During Fighting Activities
Authors: Dietrich Gilles , Bredin Jonathan , Kerlirzin Yves
Published: August 2016

The aim of this article is to elaborate a general framework for modeling dual opposition activities, or more generally, dual interaction. The main hypothesis is that opposition behavior can be measured directly from a global variable and that the relative distance between the two subjects can be this parameter. Moreover, this parameter should be considered as multidimensional parameter depending not only on the dynamics of the subjects but also on the “internal” parameters of the subjects, such as sociological and/or emotional states. Standard and simple mechanical formalization will be used to model this multifactorial distance. To illustrate such a general modeling methodology, this model was compared with actual data from an opposition activity like Japanese fencing (kendo). This model captures not only coupled coordination, but more generally interaction in twosubject activities.
Motor Control Strategies in a Continuous Task Space
Authors: Schütz Christoph , Weigelt Matthias , Odekerken Dennis , Klein-Soetebier Timo , Schack Thomas
Published: August 2016

Previous studies on sequential effects of human grasping behavior were restricted to binary grasp type selection. We asked whether two established motor control strategies, the end-state comfort effect and the hysteresis effect, would hold for sequential motor tasks with continuous solutions. To this end, participants were tested in a sequential (predictable) and a randomized (nonpredictable) perceptual-motor task, which offered a continuous range of posture solutions for each movement trial. Both the end-state comfort effect and the hysteresis effect were reproduced under predictable, continuous conditions, but only the end-state comfort effect was present under nonpredictable conditions. Experimental results further revealed a work range restriction effect, which was reproduced for the dominant and the nondominant hand.
Stride Interval Dynamics Are Altered when Two Individuals Walk Side by Side
Authors: Nessler Jeff A. , Gonzales Tomas , Rhoden Eric , Steinbrick Matthew , De Leone Charles J.
Published: August 2016

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of interpersonal synchronization of stepping on stride interval dynamics during over-ground walking. Twenty-seven footswitch instrumented subjects walked under three conditions: independent (SOLO), alongside a partner (PAIRED), and side by side with intentional synchronization (FORCED). A subset of subjects also synchronized stepping to a metronome (MET). Stride time power spectral density and detrended fluctuation analysis revealed that the rate of autocorrelation decay in stride time was similar for both the SOLO and PAIRED conditions, but was significantly reduced during the FORCED and MET conditions (p=0.03 & 0.002). Stride time variability was also significantly increased for the FORCED and MET conditions (p<0.001). These data suggest that forced synchronization of stepping results in altered stride interval dynamics, likely through increased active control by the CNS. Passive side by side stepping, where synchronization is subconscious, does not appreciably alter stepping in this manner.