The relationship of anxiety in both its state and trait manifestation to simple motor performance has been established in a number of studies. The present study is an attempt to extend these relationships to more complex motor performances, that is, to the level of a unitary group of motor habits such as is present in an athletic task. In doing this the present study utilizes not only direct assessments of both state and trait anxiety, but also assessment of certain personality traits which may be important in mediating the expression of anxiety and activation level.

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The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relationships among field dependency levels, performance on a non-locomotor balancing task both sighted and blindforded, and the acquisition of a complex biplanar motor skill. The participants for this investigation were young (ages 9-17) female gymnasts (n = 17) who had all received at least one year of gymnastics training, and could perform the prerequisite skills required for this experiment. All subjects were given the embedded figures test (EFT) (Witkin, Oltman, Raskin, & Karp, 1971) and a sighted and a blindfolded task on a stabilometer. The subjects, having been taught with a non-visual teaching method, were then given 50 trials of the full twisting back flip (FULL) on the trampoline. The gymnasts were attached to an overhead spotting rig to insure their safety. A single factor model (field dependence-independence) with three levels (high, middle, and low) was used to examine the relationships among variables. An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to adjust posttest FULL scores to pretest scores and to assess the effects of field dependency levels on the FULL learning which:it:ook place. Multiple correlations were used to examine the relationships among EFT scores, stabilometer time in balance (TIB) and time in balance blindfolded (TIBB) scores, and pretest and posttest FULL scores. From the data analysis it was found that subjects' field dependency levels did not correlate significantly with their pretest or posttest FULL scores, or with the stabilometer measures. A significant relationship was found between pretest and posttest FULL scores (r = .837) and TIB and TIBB scores (r = .541). The following conclusions were drawn from the findings: (1) because of the lack of significant correlations between the FULL and either the EFT or the stabilometer task, the use of either of these measures as a predictor of the rate of learning of the FULL is not warranted; (2) of all the variables used in this investigation, subjects' pretest FULL scores are the best indicators of how rapidly they will learn the FULL, having been taught by the non-visual method. / M.S.

Work on Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) task interaction and visualization paradigms has typically focused on providing information about the current task step (a cue) immediately before or during its performance. For sequential tasks that involve multiple steps, providing information about the next step (a precue) might also benefit the user. Some research has shown the advantages of simultaneously providing a cue and a precue in path-following tasks. We explore the use of precues in VR and AR for both path-following and object-manipulation tasks involving rotation. We address the effectiveness of different numbers and kinds of precues for different tasks. To achieve this, we conducted a series of user studies: First, we investigate whether it would be possible to improve efficiency by precueing information about multiple upcoming steps before completing the current step in a planar path-following task. To accomplish this, we developed a VR user study comparing task completion time and subjective metrics for different levels and styles of precueing. Our task-guidance visualizations vary the precueing level (number of steps precued in advance) and style (whether the path to a target is communicated through a line to the target, and whether the place of a target is communicated through graphics at the target). Participants in our study performed best when given two to three precues for visualizations using lines to show the path to targets. However, performance degraded when four precues were used. On the other hand, participants performed best with only one precue for visualizations without lines, showing only the places of targets, and performance degraded when a second precue was given. In addition, participants performed better using visualizations with lines than ones without lines. Second, we extend the idea of precueing information about multiple steps to a more complex task, whose subtasks involve moving to and picking up a physical object, moving that object to a designated place in the same plane while rotating it to a specific angle in the plane, and depositing it. We conducted two user studies to examine how people accomplish this task while wearing an AR headset, guided by different visualizations that cue and precue movement and rotation. Participants performed best when given movement information for two successive subtasks (one movement precue) and rotation information for a single subtask (no rotation precue). In addition, participants performed best when the visualization of how much to rotate was split across the manipulated object and its destination. Third, we investigate whether and how much precued rotation information might improve user performance in AR. We consider two unimanual tasks: one requires a participant to make sequential rotations of a single physical object in a plane, and the other requires the participant to move their hand between multiple such objects to rotate them in the plane in sequence. We conducted a user study to explore these two tasks using circular arrows to communicate rotation. In the single-object task, we examined the impact of number of precues and visualization style on participant performance. Results show that precues could improve performance and that arrows with highlighted heads and tails, with each rotation destination aligned with the next origin, yielded the shortest completion time on average. In the multiple-object task, we explored whether rotation precues can be helpful in conjunction with movement precues. Here, using a rotation cue without rotation precues in conjunction with a movement cue and movement precues performed the best, implying that rotation precues were not helpful when movement was also required. Fourth, we address sequential tasks involving 3DoF rotations and 3DoF translations in headset AR. In each step, a participant picks up a physical object, rotates it in 3D while translating it in 3D, and deposits it in a target 6DoF pose. We designed and compared two types of visualizations for cueing and precueing steps in such a task: Action-based visualizations show the actions needed to carry out a step and goal-based visualizations show the desired end state of a step. We conducted a user study to evaluate these visualizations and their efficacy for precueing. Participants performed better with goal-based visualizations than with action-based visualizations, and most effectively with goal-based visualizations aligned with the Euler axis. However, only a few of our participants benefited from precues, possibly because of the cognitive load of 3D rotations. In summary, we showed that using precueing can improve the speed at which participants perform different types of tasks. In our VR path-following task, participants were able to benefit from two to three precues using lines to show the path to targets. In our object-manipulation task with 2DoF movement and 1DoF rotation, participants performed best when given movement information for two successive subtasks and rotation information for a single subtask. Further, in our later study focusing on rotation, we found that participants were able to use rotation precues in our single-object task, while in the multiple-object task, rotation precues were not beneficial to participants. Finally, in a study on a sequential 6DoF task, participants performed better with goal-based visualizations than with action-based visualizations.

Thesis (M Sport Sc (Sport Science))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / The purpose of this study was to develop a valid test battery that could measure movement competence in rugby at U/16 level. Movement competence was adopted as the focus in this research because rugby is a sport consisting of challenges in primarily open skill situations. Competence is a level of proficiency that is higher than that of a novice, but not as high as an expert. Competence in rugby would imply that a player is reasonably successful in meeting the challenges of the dynamic situations on the field. Following a review of some different approaches to defining the abilities that seem to contribute to competence, movement competence in rugby at U/16 level was defined in terms of physical abilities, motor abilities and rugby skills. A test battery was designed to measure these variables, and then the battery was administered to the U/16 regional level group (n = 21) and the U/16 average level group (n = 108) from the same region. Anthropometry was recognised as a source of critical information in talent identification and development programmes, but because it has been well studied by other investigators, it was not included. Test validity was examined by comparing the scores between the two groups (the assumption is that the regional group should score higher on each item) and by asking the coaches to rate the tests in terms of face validity. The regional group achieved significantly better results in terms of speed, aerobic fitness, flexibility and power, in comparison with the average group. This suggests that the provincial players are more physical fit than the average high school players at U/16 level. However, the results of the motor abilities and skill items did not show a significant difference between the two groups. Although the coaches rated the test battery highly, new test items for these variables need to be considered to the next cycle in the Test of Rugby Competence.

This study of the relationship between dynamic balance and rhythm tests the hypothesis that a positive relationship exists between these two factors. One hundred fifty-two fifth- and sixth-graders were given the Nelson Balance Test and an adaptation of Ashton's Practical Rhythm Test. The Pearson product-moment coefficient of correlation was used in the analysis of the data. The reliability of the tests was very low. The relationship between dynamic balance and rhythm was . 08, an unreliable correlation from which no conclusions could be drawn. It was recommended that improved methods of measuring dynamic balance and rhythm be developed for elementary pupils.

The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of an intentional, formal peer education program on the performance of psychomotor skills of 22 undergraduate students enrolled in an upper extremity assessment course. Using a randomized pretest-posttest control group design, student performance on a practical exam of psychomotor skills related to the orthopedic assessment of the wrist and hand was evaluated. Both the peer teacher and Approved Clinical Instructor (ACI) groups received an instructor-led introduction and practice of psychomotor skills in the traditional laboratory classroom setting. Participants in the peer teachers groups attended two one-hour review sessions over the course of two weeks that were staffed by upper division peer teachers, while participants in the ACI group attended similar sessions that were staffed by an ACI. There were no differences between the groups on the pretest scores as indicated by a t-test (p>.05). A repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant difference (p<.05) in the scores of participants of both groups on all tasks from the pretest to the posttest. ANOVA measures indicated no significant differences (p>.05) between the groups on any of the posttest tasks related to wrist and hand assessment. The Athletic Training Peer Education Assessment Survey revealed that most (n=8, 66.7%) of the students in the peer teachers group indicated that they felt less anxious when performing laboratory skills in the presence of peer teachers as compared to performing them in front of the classroom instructor, and most (n=7, 58.3%) felt more self-confident when practicing laboratory skills with a peer teacher. Over half (n=8, 66.7%) of the students also responded that being taught laboratory skills by peer teachers increased their interaction and collaboration with other students more than being taught by the classroom instructor. Peer education appears to be a valid teaching-learning method that may be incorporated into an athletic training education program as a means to foster the learning and performing of athletic training psychomotor skills, encourage collaboration among students, and decrease anxiety of novice learners. / Department of Educational Leadership

Copies of author's previously published articles inserted. / Bibliography: leaves 193-228. / xvi, 235 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / The aim of this thesis is to provide evidence of a training related effect on neural control of a muscle in individuals who have long standing different patterns of use of their muscles. The study examines the motor unit (MU) discharge properties in first dorsal interosseous muscle of individuals who had experienced very different usage patterns of their hand muscles and explores the relationship between different muscle usage patterns and involuntary force fluctuations (tremor). It evaluates the importance of the shared branched-axon inputs to motor neurons in the production of common drive and investigates the relationship between different measures of MU sychronization. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physiology, 1997?

Orientador: Aguinaldo Gonçalves / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Educação Fisica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-04T16:11:40Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 DelVecchio_FabricioBoscolo_M.pdf: 642817 bytes, checksum: aa5112c638dffd807f1b809f4c76bf0f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / Resumo: Uma das agressões à biologia humana que desafia a relação saúde-doença no âmbito coletivo do mundo do trabalho é constituída pela contaminação do mercúrio metálico em nosso meio. Ela se dá através da aspiração dos vapores, ingestão de pequenas quantidades ou mesmo pelo contato dérmico. Objetivou-se com o presente estudo explorar o desenvolvimento de linha de pesquisa pioneira em nosso meio de aplicação da atividade física sistemática para a reabilitação de trabalhadores intoxicados ocupacionalmente com mercúrio na Grande São Paulo ¿ SP. Especificamente, tratou-se de mensurar possíveis alterações existentes no interior dessa população quanto à qualidade de vida e capacidades físicas. Para tal, formou-se grupo de pesquisa composto por quatorze mulheres e 33 homens, de 21 a 57 anos de idade, com média de 41,7, trabalhadores urbano-industriais da Grande São Paulo, intoxicados por Hg. Procedeu-se anotação das queixas clínicas dos doentes através de solicitação dirigida não indicativa em procedimento de consulta médica; aplicação de questionário de qualidade de vida (QV), o SF36, bem como realização de avaliações referentes à força muscular, que geraram o índice motor (IM), coordenação motora de membros superiores e inferiores e equilíbrio estático e dinâmico. Os resultados obtidos são indicados no plano descritivo através de distribuição de freqüência com medidas de centralidade e de posição; as inferências foram testadas pela prova de qui-quadrado e pela correlação linear de Spearman. Para a Regressão Múltipla, procedeu-se análise dos valores absolutos das variáveis dependentes (domínios do SF36), levando-se em consideração as independentes, idade, sexo, força muscular, coordenação motora e equilíbrio. Adotou-se p<0,05 como nível de significância. Constata-se que a percepção subjetiva da QV é inferior às de outros grupos populacionais em que o referido instrumento tem sido aplicado, destacadamente doentes coronarianos e ex-combatentes da Guerra do Golfo. Embora situações com relevante déficit funcional tenham ocorrido, não foram encontradas de forma sistemática nesta investigação. Em geral, pode-se apontar que os participantes não apresentam prejuízos destacados nas origens nervosas e conseqüentes inervações musculares, expressam boa quantidade de força para os testes executados e IM de 96; com relação às diferenças de gênero para esta prova, os homens demonstraram significativa superioridade, observou-se adicionalmente que pessoas mais idosas têm menores escores nos testes e menor IM. Acerca da coordenação motora, identificou-se baixo desempenho em apenas três das 36 provas adotadas, sendo que o melhor nível de rendimento foi acompanhado em 85,63% dos casos. A respeito do equilíbrio, deficiências estão presentes em nove das 13 avaliações, no entanto, 95,42% das respostas estão dentro da normalidade. Encontrou-se forte interação entre força muscular e domínios propostos pelo SF36, em especial no sexo masculino. A coordenação motora se mostrou relevante para a Vitalidade e a capacidade de equilíbrio apresenta relação negativa com alguns domínios do componente mental / Abstract: One of the aggressions to human biology, which challenges health-disease relationship within labor collective world, is represented by metallic mercury contamination in our environment. It is related to vapors breathing, small amounts intake or even to dermal contact. The purpose of this study is to explore the research line development, which is pioneer in our environment of systematic physical activity application for the rehabilitation of occupationally mercury-intoxicated workers in São Paulo Metropolitan Region ¿ SP. It was specifically related to the assessment of possible changes within this population, as to quality of life and physical capabilities. A research group of Hg-intoxicated urban-industrial workers in São Paulo Metropolitan Region, constituted by 14 women and 33 men, being 21 to 57 years old, with an average age of 41.7, was created. Patients clinical complains have been noted, through a non-indicative directed request, during a medical examination; quality of life (QL) questionnaire, SF36, was applied, and muscular strength assessments have been carried out, generating motor index (MI), motor coordination of upper and lower members and static and dynamic equilibrium. Results obtained are indicated in the descriptive plan, through frequency distribution with centering-feature and position measures; inferences were tested by Q-square essay and Spearman linear correlation. For Multiple Regression, the analysis of dependent variables absolute values was carried out (SF 36 fields), taking into account the independent ones, age, sex, muscular strength, motor coordination and equilibrium. p<0,05 was adopted as significance level. It can be remarked that QL subjective perception is lower than for other population groups to which referred instrument has been applied, mainly coronary patients and Gulf Was veterans. Although situations presenting a relevant functional deficit have occurred, they were not systematically found in this investigation. Generally, it can be pointed out that participants do not present outstanding nervous damages et consequent muscular innervations, they show a good strength amount for tests performed and MI of 96; as to sex differences in this essay, men presented a significantly higher performance, it was also remarked that older people show lower scores during tests and lower MI. Concerning motor coordination, low performance was only identified in three of 36 essays adopted, best performance level being followed in 85.63% of the cases. As to equilibrium, deficiencies are present in nine of 13 assessments; nevertheless 95.42% of answers are with normal parameters. A strong interaction between muscular strength and fields proposed by SF36 could also be noticed, especially for males. Motor coordination was relevant for Vitality and equilibrium capability presents a negative relation with some mental component fields / Mestrado / Ciencia do Desporto / Mestre em Educação Física