FMP DEVELOPMENT : THEORY

Theory Underlying How Fundamental Motor Patterns Develop

1. Development of Motor Skills are characterized by:
   1. neuromuscular maturation (genetically regulated)
   2. body size and composition
   3. prior motor experience
   4. new motor experience
   

2. Classical Stage Theory vs Probability Theory
   Classical Stage Theory Classical stage theory states that there is a universal, invariant sequence of motor skill development. Skills develop in a staircase fashion. To reject the theory, the research searchs for one child whose order does not conform to the seuqence. Classical stage theory has not proven practical and probability analysis was developed (Roberton). Roberton changed from classical stage model which says there is a zero probability to nonadjacent trials to the new theory which assigns a probability value to the possibility of any stage occurring at anytime. The transition from one stage to next is termed the equilibration process. A child in transition would have something interesting happening endogenously and/or exogenously that should be identified. The child changes from one stage to next by: permitting greater range of movement around the force producing points; adding more rotating joints to the power train; permitting greater flow or less interrupted of the movement; and better positioning of the body for maximum production of forces (Seefeldt). The movement becomes biomechanically more efficient and effective with the incorporation of more mature patterns or sub-routines into the total movement. Progress can be curtailed by: critical antecedents, novel situation, limiting conditions. The changes from one stage to the next are age related not age determined.

3. Developmental Sequences
   Intertask Sequences
   Intertask sequences combine separate but related skills into a skill heirarchy. A classic example of an intertask sequence is motor milestones. Prior to sitting up, the child first demonstrates XX followed by XX. Additionally, the developmental pyramid focuses on prerequisite skills. First the child displays reflexes/reactions followed by rudimentary movments, then fundamental motor patterns, transitional skills, and finally sport specific skills. A more specific example is how the various types of jumps develop. The child first displays a step down, followed by a jump down. A vertical jump precedes a horizontal jump. The last type of jump to develop is a one-foot hop. Another example of an intertask sequence is the Developmental Pyramid.
   
   Intratask Sequences
   Intratask Sequences Intratask sequences focusing on changes that occur within a given task until the task is mastered.

4. Whole Body vs Component Analysis
   Whole Body vs Component Analsyis There have been two different methods used to determine stage or level of development, whole body and component analysis. The whole body analyis views the body in its entirity and combines the changes in the various body parts into the separate stages. The component model predicts individuals differ in rates of component development, and thus profiles formed by developmental steps across components at any point in time will differ.
   Proposal for component analysis came when it seemed clear that the movement components did not develop in the parallel, lock-step fashion suggested by the total body configuration of stages of Wild. With a component analysis development of the different components can be measured at different rates within the same child.
   
   
5. Relationship Among Skills
   Cross-Task Stages
   notion-intratask steps because lacked criterion of structural wholeness horizontal decalage - many forms ie - suspended ball, spinal-pelvic rotation, girl in case A Rapid improvement in early childhood and into middle childhood, boys tend to attain each stage of overhand throwing and kicking earlier than girls, whereas girls tend to attain each stage of hopping and skipping earlier than boys Most ordinarily developed by age 6 or 7 but mature patterns of the skills do not develop until later reciprocal interweaving -- show relatively mature patters at one age and immature pattern at subsequent stage --may be related to learning new skills and maybe interfere